Βeginning and Εnding
by Lady.Frostbite
Summary: Will's got a crush on a doctor. Connor tries to stop the feelings he has for a redhead doctor. Erin tries to understand why Jay avoids her and Jay tries to gain back his old life and not to kill his boss.
1. Chapter 1

Connor Rhodes was a calm enough person — at least he always considered himself to be one. But if it came to patients, he was ready to vomit and toss. And even fight, if necessary. So it happened one day.

Then Connor realized that he had met a man whom he would hate for a very long time, and perhaps all the time remaining. However, he will not give up just before him - before Will Halstead.

It happened suddenly: Connor was on his way to Chicago Honey to begin his first work day. He recently returned from work abroad, and now it's time to settle down somewhere - for this reason, Rhodes returned to his hometown, where he soon received an offer of a position in a good hospital.

He rode the subway when this accident happened: the train got off the rail and collapsed from the bridge, causing many people to die and more injured. It was really creepy to experience such things, but Connor, who had never seen such a thing, had no time to panic — he had to help the passengers as quickly as possible.

Minutes fly like seconds, and in the next instant he is already in the ambulance, helping the patient, who is about to die from a laceration, to hold out. The paramedic injects painkillers, but time is running out through his fingers: the car is still on the road, and the driver is trying hard to go around traffic jams. Finally, the Chicago Honey building looms before them, and now Connor is already riding up on a gurney, trying to pump the man away; a female voice next sends him and his patient to a third traumatology.

Only a moment passes, as another voice comes to Rhodes, this time a masculine and even more serious one. Its owner immediately begins to command, saying that it is necessary to do a transfusion and inject an injection of epinephrine.

"Take me to intensive care, I'll get him," the man continues confidently.

With no less determination, Connor replies that he is his patient and he will continue to deal with them himself. Rhodes knows that he has done too much to simply entrust the life of this passenger to another doctor.

"Who the hell is he?"

Connor just now looks up and sees a gloomy red-haired man in his thirties, clearly unhappy with this state of affairs. For some reason, Rhodes wants to laugh with all the absurdity of the situation, although at this moment it is far from this, so he briefly explains.

"Get away from the gurney, doc, I'm the senior intern of this hospital."Said the doctor.

'' Then I'm your new traumatologist.''

Red in a rage, and this is too noticeable: in the end, he gives up and departs. Connor feels it will be very difficult with this man. He is a strong, excellent doctor, Rhodes immediately understands this, although he is not fully aware of where such a thought comes from. Another thing almost immediately appears in my head - they are alike with this man: they are almost ready to fight for a patient in order to be sure that they will definitely help him; until the end they will stand their ground in any situation and will not give up.

However, Connor thinks that Will Halstead, that same red-haired doctor, is also a thorn. And then again - when they are already in the operating room. Rhodes is terribly annoyed by this his insolent smirk. And then for the first time, he realizes that he hates Will Halstead

If he hates this man because he felt jealous when he saw the redhead doctor embracing a woman out of the hospital. Why did he hate this feeling when a doctor, patient or he feeling a sharp pain in his chest every time he catches Will looking at Dr. Manning longingly?

* * *

The doctors and the detectives with some firefighters were sitting at Molly's after a difficult shift but two of the important people were missing. The brothers Will and Jay Halstead had not come to work and no one could communicate with them. There is a silence that worried the rest co-workers because Jay has not ever got a day off and Will phone is always on for major surgery.

This was a surprise when Will walked through the bar with a smile on his face like they're never seen. Like he's trying to be charming.

The barista looks at Will and his eyes widen a fraction before he smiles back.

''Oh my god.''

Will says something that nake the other man laugh and then looks down bashfully as he pushed his hair back behind his ear. The man's posture relax and he leans into Will, more than charmed now.

The man is much more forthcoming with Will soeaking to him for several moments than the other clients at the bar.

''What the hell?''Connor demanded, jealousy coming through openly.

At the end Will makes him laugh once again , and the man leans close to whisper something in Will's ear as he slips a piece of paper into his pocket.

"Drinking alone, bro?" Jay sits down next to him without any preamble.

Will snorts despondently into his whiskey. "Was supposed to meet somebody."

"Aw, I'm sure she's got a good reason for standing you up," he says, only half-mocking as he pats his brother on the back.

Will's head shoots up, surprised by the leap Jay had taken. "What makes you think it's a girl?"

"You wanna tell me you're not over here pining after a crush?" Jay laughs. "Will, if it's a guy that's got you lookin' like that, then there's a longer conversation me'an you are gonna have to have."

The woman who walked in the bar was walking as if she owned the very ground she walked on and power seemed to be radiating off of her in waves. She had sleek brown hair that went to her waist with loose waves. Her hair seemed to contrast amazingly to her porcelain skin that almost seemed to shine in the sun. She had light blue eyes that made you just want to obey her every command, and her outfit seemed to curve around her body perfectly like a second skin.

The laughed and kissed Will on the cheek. "Nice to see you again ,red." She replied cheekily. Will rolled his eyes but a small, fond smile played on his lips.

The mystery women slowly walked into the room looking at everything before turning her attention to Jay. "Hello Jay. It's been awhile hasn't it?" The mysterious women walked around the room until she stopped right in front of the detective.

"Are you going to talk or are you just going to star at me. You know how much I like that" said the woman and Jay chuckled at that, it was true she really likes that all gazes are over her and when people staring at her. He used to do it a lot of the time because she is the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.

Erin looked at the woman who was a few feet away from him and a strange feeling grown up of, something like jealousy as all the men wielded the woman. She and Jay slept together two weeks ego and now Jay is avoiding her like she was plague .

''Who are you? 'Erin said and and she can't help it as she feel jealousy curl up her throat trying to choke her as Jay placing his hand on woman's shoulder like Rin wouldn't know who she was talking about. Erin's eyes hone in on the hand as it stays there doesn't move.

All the doctors and detectives and firefighters keep their breath for a reply but no one expected to hear this answer that came out of the ear of the oldest Halstead.

''Guys this is Latania Monroe. Will's best friend and my wife''


	2. Chapter 2

_''Wife''_

_''Wife?''_

_''WIFE''_

It was the only thing that Erin could think at this moment passed the door of police station. After the great revelation of Jay Halstead the previous night she could not think straight. It took her an embarrassing amount of time to get over Jay. Truth be told, eRIN was not the kind of woman who would spend her days pining over a man, but jAY was different. No matter how cliched that sounded, it was still true. She had never met anyone like him before. Brilliant but so self-deprecating. Amazing and cocky at times but still with a heart of gold. Nobody had ever made her feel the way that Jay did, so it really pissed her off and hurt her so badly when Jay told her that they could only be friends.

After they slept together

At first she thought it was because their partnrship. Then she thought that maybe he had a family stashed somewhere, wife and kids and the whole nine and that's why he couldn't date her.

That was just as crazy so she tabled that particular line of thought pretty quickly.

It wasn't really egotistic of Erin to think that Jay was interested in her before. She was pretty sure that he was, but then somewhere along the way she probably missed her chance because suddenly, Jay was being just a good friend to her.

They had sex

And now a wife

In the end, she decided to ask Antinio.

"I know you know everything so you have to know this. Who is Jay's wife?" She asked straightforwardly as she passed by Antonio's desk on her way to her own office.

Antonio was only partially shocked by her quoestion. He knew Jay had gotten married again, but he'd just never met her directly before. He had heard her voice before on the phone when he called for Jay, so he wasn't as surprised as Hank and Adam.

As Erin tried to find information for Latania Monroe. At the other side of room Jay mourned his marriage.

* * *

Jay remembered the first second he met Latania Monroe. . Her fierce and sarcastic way of moving around was what had caught his eye in the first cared about her family, about everyone that she laid her trust upon, and would use witty/snarky commentary to express her 'unadulterated love' towards someone. Jay admits, he wasn't exactly the picture perfect kind of person to be around years ago when they all first met; he was cold, guarded, and self-reserved. He didn't trust anyone. To him, they were too destructive. Will was the only exception at first, someone that Jay found reliable.

But he could not be as wrong as he was then as he is now.

With a small furrow in his brow, he looked down into his palm and found a photo strip of Latania. Picking it up with ginger fingers, he held it closer for further examination. The woman was sitting in front of whoever had taken the picture. Their location was obviously a library of Univertity's house, given to the rows and rows of books that were behind her, along with the tables that were occupied by classmate . But she stood out among the other faces in the background. The first image had was her having a book open in front of her, a notebook to the side of the book and a green highlighter in one hand, a ballpoint pen in the other. The hand with the highlighter was down on the table, the end of the highlighter was holding down the pages of the book so it didn't slip closed on her. Her other hand, with the pen, was raised towards her mouth; the cap pressing against the pink flesh of her bottom lip. Her eyes were downcast, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she reads. The second photo was similar to the first, only Latania had her eyes raised and she had noticed the camera; beautiful hazel eyes slightly wide in surprise and her kissable bow lips parting a little bit. The third and final photo was Jay's favorite; Latania had lowered her pen away from her lips, her elbow now resting on the table, and her lips were curled up into a wide smile—the photo capturing him mid-laugh.

She's so beautiful.

FLASHBACK

_Jay let a string of curses leave his mouth, as he'd barely dodged the vase his mama gave him a few years ago. He held his breath as he watched it crash onto the ground, the pieces shattering - much like Latania. She's ramblings never stopped, her face flooded with tears. Her lanky form following Jay's every move. The only consistent words he'd heard were 'cheater' and 'liar'._

_"Latania, I'm sorry!" Jay pleaded, raising his hands up to protect his face as Latania paced her bedroom-their bedroom. Latania's clothing lay half in her suitcase, the others scattered around the room. Many pieces were thrown in Jay's direction. Latania was leaving him, and all he could do was take the heat. It was all his fault, Latania wasn't to blame._

_Suddenly, the room was quiet. Latania's ramblings at a halt, and Jay's heart rate began to speed up._

_"Asshole, you cheated. ." Latania spoke quietly, almost as if she was trying to wrap her head around what Jay confessed. Her eyes a bloodshot red, her lips parted while she looked around their ruined bedroom. Latania sat on the bed, wondering if Jay cheated in their own home. Her stomach dropped ten folds, feeling sick at the thought._

_Jay sighed, as he looked away._

_"We-We've been together for years, Jay" Latania trailed off, his eyes searching the room rapidly- almost trying to find the answer of "why?" in their satin bedroom sheets that lay at the bottom of the bed._

_"Tell me why," Latania said dejectedly, her shoulders hunched- she couldn't even look in Jay's direction. A man whom she once thought loved her._

_Jay swore he would have missed the tone in Latania's voice if the room had not been eerily silent. Being drunk was not an excuse as to why he stepped out on their relationship. Everything was ruined. He hadn't wanted it to end like this, hadn't wanted their relationship to end at all._

_"Was is Erin Linsday?" Latania flinched at her own question, the name "Erin" making her spine cower._

_The lump in Jay's throat grew steadily, his chest felt as though it was constricting, in reality it must have been heartbreak. Jay stared at Latania with wary eyes, afraid of his next move. Since his confession, Jay had not said another word unless it was "i'm sorry". Truthfully, he couldn't remember who he has cheated with- and that hurt. Not only did he hurt his wife and mate, but he couldn't even give her the proper answers she deserved._

_He'd felt his heart stop, his blood running cold, and the tears came fast after that._

_Latania's eyebrows furred in fury, in betrayal. . "Damn it, say something, Halstead! Anything, please!" Latania's voice fell short, and for the fourth time that night, her tears fell._

_"It's not you, Latania." Jay spoke lowly, his voice hoarse from not speaking, and his eyes tired. "I was drunk, baby-"_

_Latania didn't have enough time to process, and dodge the incoming Television remote. The gray television remote made contact with his mouth, his teeth aching and his eyes watering due to the pain. Licking his lips, Jay tasted the blood pouring from his upper lip. Putting his hand on their bedroom walls, Jay perched himself up from his sitting position on the floor. With each taste of his own blood, Jay became more irate, more irrational, and the want to choke Jay out became too much for him to bare. His whole being beamed with anger, and as he glared at Latania, the young woman's stare didn't falter one bit._

_"Fuck you, Halstead." Latania spoke with such a venomous tone, her eyes filled with anger, and regret._

END FLASHBACK

He remembers whenever he stuttered through asking her on a date, and how she responded with a riddle and only when he solved it could he treat her on a date. He replayed the same riddle over and over, and didn't stop until he figured it out. And three days later he was grinning proudly as he told her the answer, and her crooked smile in return gave him his.

He remembers sitting in the corner booth of the diner, with her pressed against his side and his arm curled around her shoulders. She had lifted her hand, curled her fingers with his and rested her head on his shoulder, the sun setting and illuminating the diner in shades of gold and yellow.

He wanted her back. He needed her back.

* * *

Will walks into the kitchen groggily rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. His hair is a mess and he is wearing gray shorts and a white wifebeater.

He is surprised to find his brother Latania sitting at the counter drinking coffee and reading the paper.

"What are you doing here?" asks Will as he opens the cabinet to find a coffee cup.

"Good morning to you too brother-in-law," says Latania sarcastically as she looks up from the paper. "I got off late last night and have to be in early this morning and your place is closer to the district than mine so I slept in the spare bedroom."

"Well that just makes me so glad I gave you a key then," replies Will as he grabs himself a coffee cup. "Please come into my apartment whenever you'd like without telling me."

Latania shoots her brother a look.

"Sorry," says Will sheepishly. "Late night and I haven't had any coffee yet."

Will pours himself a cup of coffee as the woman puts down the paper.

"How was your date?" asks Latania as a smirk begins to form on her face.

"What date?" asks a confused Will as he sips his coffee.

"The date that you kept you out late last night," replies the woman crossing her arms over her chest. "I didn't catch his name."

Will practically chokes on his coffee completely caught off guard. How the hell does Latania know that?

"What are you talking about?" asks Will in between coughing while refusing to look at her

"Dude," says Latania trying to get the man to look at her. "I was in the spare bedroom when you got home, I heard you guys in the living room."

Will looks at her mortified and unsure of what to say next. When he came home with the barista last night, Will had no idea that Latania was in the spare bedroom. It's at the back apartment and he didn't even think to look there. Now his brother knew his secret, how would he react?

"Listen Will," says Latania making sure each word is clear as to reassure her brother. "I don't judge or anything, it's totally fine that you're gay. You're my brother and I love you. I don't care that you're into guys, I just want you to be yourself and be happy."

Standing at the counter and holding his coffee in his hands, Will smiles. "Really?"

"Absolutely," says Latania as she stands up and walks over to her brother-in-law. "This world we live in is so fucked up. People are ridiculed and oppressed for who they are. We're all the same regardless of sexual preferences. No one should judge anyone for that, everyone should be free to be who they are and love whoever they want without hate or judgment."

Will smiles and puts down his coffee. "Thanks Latania. I always worried about having this conversation with you or anyone else for that matter. Having to explain and defend who I am."

"Well, you don't have to do that with me," says Latnai reassuringly. "We're family and nothing could ever stop me from loving and supporting you. Plus, you shouldn't have to explain or defend yourself to anyone. You're gay, that is who you are, and there's no shame in that. What other people say doesn't matter."

Will can't think of anything to say as he leans in to give Latania a hug.

"Thanks Latania," says Will who feels like a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders. "I love you."

"I love you too Will," says Latania as they break the hug. "I'm your sister and you can always talk to me. I'll always be here for you no matter what."

"So how was the date?" asks a grinning Latania as she sits back down. "What'd you guys do?"

"Are you sure you want to hear about all this?" asks Will as he cuts himself a bagel.

"Do you think that the 2 guys dating and having sex creeps me out or something?" asks Latania looking at Will. "Because it doesn't. I'm open-minded and I have gay friends. So I want you to tell me about the guy and your date."

Will nods his head and takes a bite of his bagel. "His name is Brian, I met him at a bar last month and we hit off. We've gone out a bunch of times and last night we grabbed something to eat downtown and walked by the promenade and talked."

"I guess it's going well since I heard you guys in the living room," teases Latania.

"It is," says Will laughing a little. "I'm still a little nervous about PDA in public so I invited him to come back here."

Will can't contain his grin. "And it got a little heavy..."

"But," says Latania noticing her brother was starting to trail off.

"No but, Brian's a sweet guy and I enjoy spending time with him," says Will looking down at his bagel who begins to fumble with his words.. "There's just… another guy. But I don't have a chance with him."

"Why would you say that?"asks Latania looking at his brother. "Who is he?"

''Connor Rhodes''

Latania began to laugh hysterically. Connor Rhodes was the man hert brother in the law complained every day after they met and Latania was obliged to hear but By the time he was ready to have a proper, civil conversation with the man, a month had gone by.

It didn't usually take Will this long to open to people and talk to them, but there was something about Rhodes- the way he came into the hospital for one, shouting orders and actually having them get done, despite the fact that he was a complete stranger and no one at the hospital knew or respected his judgement.

Over time, however, Will had begun to notice the way that authority sat on the slope of Rhodes' shoulders and chattered in his ear. He commanded it as efficiently and as effectively as Sharon Goodwin, but the contrast between how they utilised it was huge. Where Sharon was loud and blatant about her authority, Rhodes was quiet and subtle; such that you were following his orders without ever having realised you were following them at all.

It was strange, being ordered about. Will would find himself getting dopamine for a patient he had not been taking care of, simply because Rhodes had yelled the request from the trauma room as he passed by. It hadn't even been directed at him, probably at the nurses working with him, and yet he'd moved from his spot and crossed to the nurse station. When he mentioned this to Latania, however, she'd laughed and looked at him with her all-seeing eyes.

"You're annoyed because he reminds you of yourself," she laughed again. Her fingers played with a pen, clicking it repeatedly. "Both of you are cocky, arrogant and petulant."

"I am not!" Will replied huffily, crossing his arms over his chest before it dawned on him he was doing as she said. He let out a surprised breath and Latania pats his shoulder sympathetically.

"You'll get over it," she winked and laughed again at Will's disapproving face.

''What about you and Jay?''

''I want a divorce''

Hearing her saddened tone of voice, Will hugged Latania her head hit his shoulder, she cried.

Will ran his finger through her hair repeatedly. Shah, it's going be okay. I'm here .''

She didn't know how long she stood there, just crying into Will's shoulder, but the sun was disappeared from the sky she stopped crying, and the stars were all out.


	3. Chapter 3

''Just sign the goddamn papers, Jay," She hissed from across the table and it caused the man to look up slightly startled.

He'd been reading the thin lines of the contract in front of him and found his eyes stuck on the highlighted portions that had a large 'X' where his name was supposed to go. When he married her all those years ago he hadn't imagined that they'd be sitting here in one of his- no their conference rooms pounding out the terms of their divorce.

He glanced up into the deep pools of his wife's eyes and noted how coldly she regarded him, and how much that hurt. Her eyes had aged, she had aged and realized that he wasn't the layer she thought he was when she'd married him. He remembered how wide-eyed and innocently she regarded everything he did until recently.

Her full lips pulled down into a frown as she narrowed her eyes at him, she thought he was stalling, and truthfully, he was. He'd seen so much less of her in the past days.

Jay respected her wishes and had not come to bother her at the old penthouse, not even when he was drunk. Will had taken it upon himself to check around the building whenever they were out so he was confident that she was safe. He hadn't the courage to go and face her, the thought of it nearly made his hands shake. He didn't know if he would be able to handle her rejection.

"Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" She asked after another tense silence. "All I want is my life and my last name back. You know I don't want any of the company, your money, or that house. Just sign them so we can move on already."

He looked at her pleading form and he bit the inside of his cheek resolute in his decision.

"You know I'd give you anything you want," he says as he picks up the papers from the desk and straightens them, before slipping them back into the manila envelope. "But I can't do this."

When the words leave his lips both his lawyer and wife let out an audible groan while her lawyer perks up at the implication.

"You want to take this to court, Mr. Halstead?" The woman, Ms. Thompson, if he remembered correctly, asks. "You know that can be bad for you."

He glanced at the dark-haired woman, her brow furrowed in faux concern. However, even as she forced her brown cheeks not to lift in excitement, she was doing a poor job at keeping her lips from curling into a smile.

"She's right Mr. Halsted," Clarence Paige, his lawyer, nodded, his gray hair standing slightly on end. "No pre-nap, she's worked here on your behalf for years, and she had to give up her own career. The judge will say that you impeded her ability for independence, they'll give her half."

"That's fine," Jay says leaning back as he watches the others in the room react to the news. He lets a charming smile curl across his face as his wife regards him skeptically. "I don't plan on getting divorced."

She doesn't react to the statement at first, he isn't sure she comprehended what he was saying, and when it clicks the skin around her nose scrunches in irritation, and he can't help but chuckle.

"This isn't funny, Jay," she says arms stretched wide across the table trying to keep from getting angry. "Paige, Thompson, why don't we continue this next week. My break isn't much longer and I'm sure that Mr. Halstead has, I don't know, something that he needs to do."

That stung a little.

The lawyers look at each other, Thompson stands and gathers her items. Paige looks at Jay and Jay nods at him in dismissal. He stands as well clearing up his files. Paige holds out a hand for Jay to shake, and he does. The older man exits the room. Thompson stops when she's next to his wife, the lawyer squeezes her shoulder in reassurance and the woman gives her a warm smile. When the door closes behind the lawyers, the smile falls from his wife's lips.

Latania lets out a sigh and gives him a glare, "You're being ridiculous, Jay. This isn't a game."

"I didn't think it was," he says with a raised eyebrow.

"I'll take this to trial if I have to," she tries.

"No, you won't."

"And, why wouldn't I?" She says with a furrowed brow, eyes like steel.

"We aren't getting divorced," he says with a shrug. He watches as a stunned expression crosses her face quickly, but she covers it. He stands and straightens his suit jacket.

"For what reason would I stay with you?" She asked.

"You love me, like I love-"

"You don't love me, Jay." She says holding a hand up to pause him in his sentence. She shakes her head as if she was trying to get horrible thoughts from her head. "You don't, you wouldn't have done this otherwise. You wouldn't."

He watches as tears filled her eyes and instinctively he moves around the table to be by her side. He pulls his handkerchief from his pocket, and she takes it. She dabs at the corners of her eyes before her make-up can run.

"I can't do this, Jay," she says as she stands. "Just sign the papers, do this for me. You said you'd give me anything, give me this."

"I can't," he says honestly.

She looks at him, stares into his eyes for what seems like hours but can't be more than thirty seconds, and then looks away. Jay backs away from the table as she pushes her chair back to stand.

He can't help but let his eyes run down her figure when she does. She was always stunning, even when she wasn't trying, and it slightly bothered him that her work attire made it seem like she was attending one of his parties. The black vertical panels on the side of her dress cinched at her waist beautifully while the beige front and back complimented her skin tone and gave her a more professional look.

She grabbed her brief case and swung her coat over her arm. She checked her watch and let out a sigh.

He watches as she pulls open the heavy door that leads out of the conference room. She pauses.

"Jay, please," she looks back at him with pleading eyes. "Do this for me. So, I can move on and you can be with her."

"I don't want her, I want you."

"You already had me, you chose her."

He doesn't get a chance to respond as she whisks away through the door. He can hear her heels click down the hall the further away from him she goes. But the woman stood in front of the wall and she doesn't know how long she stood there; looking, no, staring at the wall in front of her, some would say it's just a wall. But Latania knew better. This wasn't just any wall. If this wall could talk and thank God it didn't, oh the stories it could tell. Victories, defeats, lies, and mayhem all wrapped up in the names that have adorned it. Dirty little secrets polished in gold.

And he was the last time she saw it as Latania slipped into the elevator and tried to hold her tears ,could not believe that this asshole did not leave her free after he did and he has the nuts to say he loves her. A millisecond later he turns to look at Jay standing there with a sad and desperate look on his face. She loves him. She knows this.

* * *

Will Halstead stands out of the room of her patients. He sighed and looked at Kaylee Henderson. He had just gone through his patients scans and found out what was causing the jaundice. His patient had gone into hepatic failure. Her liver was shutting down.

Will knew that he wasn't going to get a liver in time because of her drinking. Kayla was an alcoholic and hasn't been sober for the required six months to be a candidate for transplant. UNOS would never agree to the surgery. He had to tell his patient there was no hope because of her horrible immune system.

Wil opened the door to his patient's room and braced himself because he knew this wouldn't be good.

"Hello Ms. Henderson", Will smiled.

"Hi, umm... do you have any idea when I can get out of here because my mom called and wants to know if I'm coming down for her birthday next week", Kaylee asked as Will cringed

"That's what I came to talk to you about Ms. Henderson, You see you won't be able to be discharged". The famale Alpha choked out but continued speaking. «You have what's called Heap-"

"Hepatic failure, my livers failing isn't it"? Kaylee chuckled.

"My mother always told me this would happen. Its how my father died, he drank until his liver failed him. Everyone blames his death for me drinking. But really, it's just that I'm addicted. You don't need to say anything else, I know how it is. I need to be sober for at least six months to be able to receive a liver. So please...just leave. ''

Will sighed once again and left the room.

Two hours later Will is sitting in the break room nursing his second cup of coffee and reading the paper trying to put the thoughts of this morning out of his head.

Her sister-in-law was very accepting about him being gay, which made Will happy. Latania is a good woman and Will doesn't know why he ever worried about telling her he's gay. He saw how Latania reacted when he mentioned the other guy, though, and Will hopes he doesn't bring it up again. Will wants to put these thoughts about and feelings for Connor as far out of his head as possible.

Will's thoughts are interrupted by the door to the break room opening and Connor walking in.

"Good morning Dr. Halstead," says Connor casually as he pours himself a cup of coffee.

"Morning Dr. Rhodes," says Will glancing quickly at Connor who has his back turned to Will as he pours his coffee.

'Damn that guy pulls off scrubs so well,' thinks Will. 'Look how perfectly they sit at his waist.'

Will is snapped out of his thoughts by Connor turning around to face him and he quickly turns his attention back to the paper.

Connor takes a sip of his coffee. 'I love when Will has that five o'clock shadow, it's so sexy on him.'

Connor takes another sip of his coffee and scolds himself. 'Come on Rhodes, you can do this. Be cool.'

Connor takes a seat at the table next to Will and Will can feel the heat emanating from Connor's body and reaching him. Like a tease.

"What are you reading?" asks Connor trying to make conversation. "Anything interesting?"

Connor wants Will to put the paper down and look at him so he can get a better look at him.

"Not really," replies Will as he puts down the paper. His eyes meet Connor's for a second before Will looks away. "You want to look at it?"

"Sure," says Connor as he takes the paper from Will's hands.

As he's grabbing the paper, Will's hands brushes against Connor's. They look at each other awkwardly.

"Sorry," says Will pulling his hands back.

Connor nods his head and looks down at the paper. Will's touch felt so good, his hands are so soft.

Will finishes his coffee and unable to sit still, he walks over to his locker. He doesn't need anything in there but after that brief contact with Connor, he is too anxious to sit still. Such a brief moment got Will's heart racing.

Zannetti opens the door to the break room. "Rhodes, they need us in the OR. Now."

"Coming," says Connor as he gets up and leaves the paper on the table. "Thanks for the paper Halstead."

Will nods as Connor leaves with Zanetti.

He breathes deeply and walks back to sit down at the table.

What is with this effect Connor has on him? Connor's body heat, Connor's touch, it all turned him on and made him nervous at the same time.

Will's phone beeps and he pulls it out of his pocket to see a text from Jay

Jay's text:_Please, I need you brother_

* * *

"Jay! Jay, hey! Calm down, Jay!" Will kept repeating, standing beside Peter as he landed punch after punch at the concrete wall of his loft, knuckles splitting and bleeding and then immediately reheating, the pain not hang enough time to register. The concrete was speckled with scarlet smears. "Jay!" Will yelled, and Jay turned to her, hands ceasing their movement, meeting her own shocked eyes with his own filled with confused anger. He was breathing hard, and the collar and sleeves of his grey t-shirt were drenched in sweat. "What the hell is wrong with you?" the doctor asked, taking Jay's hands in hers and watching the skin stitch itself back together.

"Was my fault," Jay choked in a hoarse voice.

''I LOST HER," he choked. "I lost her ... forever"

"It's your fault"

Jay's eyes flashed to his brother and he felt anger explode in his chest.

"Shut up," he warned in a low and deadly tone.

Of course Will ignored the warning.

" "You let her biggest fear come true."," he said flatly, slouching lower to put his feet up on the coffee table and throwing an arm out along the back.

Jay stood still as his mind wandered back to the night in their new house. I fear that one day you will come to lose the love you have for me. Her words echoed in his mind, a pain in his chest made him want to claw his own heart out. He had betrayed her, betrayed the one person who had accepted him, all of him. "You're wrong."

"Am I!" Will yelled back in anger. "Did you want her to stay? To remain in this miserable house and continue to watch you with Erin! To watch you be with someone else!"

Jay sucked in a breath, suddenly shaking with the memory of being driven down hard onto the floor, the wind screaming in his ears as his heart was dragging, snapping and snarling, from his throat, the scent of Latania hard in his nose and still all but buried beneath the smell.

"I said shut up!"

«How could I let this happen?» Jay asked as he threw the glass over the wall.

"Jesus, Jay." Will answered as Jay slumped down in the chair in front of him

"I loved her ." Jay said, sounding like a childish brat at the moment. Will just sighed and leaned back to watch the show.

''I love her''

''Left her to be happy''said Will.

"She could be happy with me." Jay snapped, looking at him, his voice calmer before finishing "I know she could."

* * *

Voight'as fascination had not disappeared and he was too curious. It was a character flaw he didn't care to correct. He'd never believed his grandmother about curiosity killing the cat. He slid the pint of Guinness across the bar to the mysterious woman. He found most woman were agreeable to at least a light chat with alcohol on their hand.

The brunette looked down at the offering and smirked, "I'm not sure what the hell this is."

Voight shrugged, recognising the double meaning in the words. "It's a drink that is strong and stout. "

The woman was wary of Voight, asking with suspicion, "Just a drink?"

Voight was full of confidence now having not been immediately rejected. Mystery brunette had shot down anyone who'd attempted to talk to him. He shrugged the question off, "It can be a drink or it can be conversation. I'm Hank by the way."

He'd watched the indecision war with the lust in the woman's face. Mystery woman smiled with what Voight was guessing was a rare honest smile. It took Voight's breath away.

She accepted the handshake, "I'm Latania."

Voight return the handshake and start to flirt a little, "I only warrant a handshake?"

Latania laughed in surprise at the more blatant come on. She was willing to play the game. "I'm worth more than one pint. I'm not cheap."

* * *

**Jay or Voight?**

**Should I Continue?**


	4. Chapter 4

Dr. Monore

Mrs. Jay Halstead

Latania Halstead

Professor Monroe

The woman had many different titles in her life

She was born prematurely at 34 weeks which had made her father Luke an increasingly overprotective father. Growing up Luke had always felt the need to protect her from the world she lived in. He wanted his daughter to have a stable life, something he unfortunately was unable to have but this hadn't always been easy. Latania's mom - Amanda Patterson - had turned her back on her daughter the day after her first birthday. Luke and Amanda had tried their best to provide a stable home for their young daughter but that had proven to be too difficult and the lasting result of their drunken one night stand had caused multiple arguments between the two. But Luke knew from the moment Amanda had told him that he had a responsibility to look after his unborn child.

She was a mirror of her father, just much shorter and a lot more talkative. She had the same blue orbs as her father, though hers seemed to brighten every time she spoke. Her hair had been lighter by a few shades and only just touched her shoulders. She had small bangs that Luke would always find cute how she brushed them from her face when she was concentrating. Her smile was beautiful and it never seemed to end. She had a toothy grin that made Luke melt and sometimes he couldn't understand how Amanda could choose her job over their daughter.

Latania was his princess, his angel and nothing could ever change that. But everything changed when her father died by a car accident and her abused as a young child before being adopted at six years old explain the many PhDs and degrees she has. She graduated from Northwestern University with a degrees on mathematics, chemistry, engineering , anthropologist, forensic anthropologist, and kinesiologist. She worked at the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington, D.C for years by the side of Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan and Dr. Camille Saroyan. She has worked very hard all these years to earn that she was deprived of her junior age.

Latania walked into the classroom looking at the students who were sitting in the desks. She was almost 3 days in Chicago and it was not difficult for her to find a job as she have three BAs and three PhDs in Mathematics, Chemistry, Engineering , anthropologist, forensic anthropologist, and kinesiologist,fluent in Japanee ,Spanish ,Latin, German and Russian.

"Now can any of you please tell me how far does light travel penetrates the ocean?" She asked the class. In return she got a few grumbles, groans and I don't know professor. There was one student that did know the answer however.

"Professor Monroe, the deepest that light can penetrate the ocean is 1 kilometer sir." Came the response of a girl all the way in the back.

"Very good, Samantha. Now can anyone tell me why that is important?" questioning the class once more. All she got in response was a bunch of head nods no.

"Does anyone remember from unit two what nearly all life needs to survive?" asking a different question hoping to invoke a different response.

"That would be light, miss" Came a boy from the front row. To which she nodded in confirmation.

"And why is it important in this context?" Putting the pressure back on the class. But still getting silence in return

After a few moments, Latania sighed, "Did any of you read yesterday's reading assignment?" Receiving little head nods yes and many nos.

Continuing "To pass the final, you must first know the content. Not simple route memorization, but context, comprehension…application." Saying the last bit more menacingly steadying her gaze upon the students causing a few to flinch.

Following this statement, she quickly explained "All sea life below a kilometer deep into the ocean would have to deal with other ways of gathering energy instead of getting it from light." As soon as she finished, the bell rung.

Before everyone left Latania yelled out "We will be continuing on tomorrow, make sure to read last night's assignment again to understand our talk tomorrow. Pages 144-168 in your books."

This was followed by the sound of a bunch of backpacks being closed and people rushing out the door. As soon as everyone left, Latania gathered my things and left the building.

At the same time Voight Hank walked to the police station after his trip to New York to help Olivia Benson with a murder case. The wind blew in his derection ,and Voight suddenly caught the scent of one woman of roses . She smelled divine and not in a creepy, no,Voight could inhale the scent forever. He decided he could've drowned in the girl's scent happily. His mind growled inside him ,pleased at the smell.

If her scent was divineb,her looks were simply beautiful. The woman was 5'3 and petite but she still had curves that just made her even more enticing. She also had dark brown curls that fell on her waist ,but was all Voight could see as he couldn't se her face since she was facing away from him.

"Thanks" The voice had a sweet soft tone to it .It also had a sence of innocence ,and it reminded him of bells. He found that he rather liked this unknown voice ,more so than he sould have.

Voight had to fight a growl down when he saw the boy from the shop to flirting with her and he wanted to take him away from her and kill him

God ,what is wrong with me today ? Voight thought. His behavior was confusing greatly, since he barely even knew this woman.

Finally ,the woman turned around and Voight was even more enchantd at the sight on her face. She had a lovely shade of pink filled lips that were spreared into a smile ,which revealed pearly white teeth and the most adorable dimples Voight had ever seen. However he liked her eyes the most. They were light blue and were the colar of wiskey .He believed he could've stared at her forever.

And then hit him like a brick wall because the woman who stood a few meters away from his ,was Latania , the woman he met laat night. Voight could not understand why she could not stop looking at her but he could see the smile spread on her lips.

Latania closed the eye to the man and she headed for her car ,a black camaro. She took a final glance at him and she took off by car

* * *

Sure, they run into problems at first, but from the second they meet, Connor feels this sort of pull towards Will. Connor's not shallow but Will is hot. He's also stubborn as an ass, which Connor won't deny gets him pretty interested. He kind of likes the way that they butt heads, but it would be infinitely easier if Will would just flirt back and take him home already. If only Dr. Manning wasn't so damn gorgeous, Connor might stand a chance.

They wind up at Molly's after an achingly long shift. Connor was stuck all day with Dr. Zanetti, who is so overly not Connor's type that he almost smacks her when she brushes past him for the fifth time that day. Needless to say, the drink that Hermann sets down in front of him when he collapses onto the bar stool is well deserved. Will sits down on the stool next to him a few minutes later. He's gone home and changed and the pair of pants he's wearing should be illegal, especially if Connor doesn't get to hit that. He's got a dark button down on, tucked in and a tie. A very specific looking tie.

Connor smirks, "Trying to impress someone?"

Will smiles into his drink and takes his time before answering, "Maybe."

And then the goddamn bastard glances across the bar towards Natalie and Connor tries very hard not to lose it.

"I dunno man, hormones and stuff, it just doesn't seem that appealing." Connor says accidentally, half outing himself and half dissing the girl that his crush is head over heels for. Great Job Connor.

Will shrugs and turns his back on Natalie, putting his gaze on Connor who swallows uncomfortably.

"Uh the tie, the tie is nice." Connor gestures, partially to the tie and partly to just Will's body in general, which is well, nice.

"Mm yes, the person who gave it to me has very good taste." Will laughs.

"I'm aware." Connor winks and promptly does another shot.

They drink in silence and kind of watch each other. Connor talks to Gabby for a minute, and Hermann comes by to refill their drinks.

And then Latania shows up wearing a white, knee length skater dress under a red tank top made out of rose lace with a gold zipper at the back; red sneakers with white laces, white tips and white soles over white, pleaded socks with the tops turned over and white gloves under red, fingerless ones made out of lace.

Her hair was curly and tied into a ponytail with a small red ribbon.

She was wearing white eye shadow, black mascara; red blush and red lipstick.

"Connor, you know my siter-in-law Latania" Will said in lieu of introduction as he dragged Latania to sit down, who had the manner to offer a handshake first.

''Ex sister-in-law''Pointed out the woman.

''Ex?''

Latania sipped her drink and seeing no reason to lie answered, ''He cheated on me with his partner''

All the girls were staring at her in shock. Someone of them looking at her with pity.

''Do not pity me. I didn't want pity anyone's pity''the woman spat before turned to barista ordering. ''I want 12 shots of Patron at the The Purple Shamrock's Happy Hour''

''Adrenalin junkie?. ''the question slipped out.

''Says the party animal, plastic surgeon from New York.''Latania answered dryly, startling a laugh out of Connot while Will pouted Fuck There. Cute.

"So you're the rising star hot shot surgeon" the woman teased, making Connor almost thinking that the hard look just now was his imagination.

"I didn't know Will talked to you about me" Raising an eyebrow accusingly at his now grinning friend. "I'd never live that down, huh?"

"You thought we'd forget about it, Connor? Hardly" Will gave a shit-eating grin and drank up his beer. Will and Latania shared a look where Latania glanced meaningfully at the Purple Shamrock's Happy Hour and her own empty hands, and Will rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah Latania I'll get your drinks" He got up and put a hand on Connor's shoulder and squeezed once "You want anything, Connor?"

For you not to leave me alone with your brother was what he wanted to say, but he made do with a "Nah I'm good, thanks". Glancing at the grinning lawman sitting opposite him, Connor dreaded the next few minutes of his future.

It seemed as if he could sense the very second Will was out of earshot, Latania's demeanor changed from smiley to sharp in the blink of an eye. "You know I've seen men looked at him like that before" She said casually.

"Um. Like that?" Connor stuttered, feeling uncomfortable with the scrutiny which was very unusual. He's always prided himself on being able to keep his cool when people antagonized him, a lot of practice growing up with his father and his name, but what Latania was doing was different kind of accusations altogether.

"That you like what you see" while their coloring were not very similar, the brothers did share many features that reminded Connor firmly that they really were brothers. The determined gazes was one such feature, and it was targeting him at full force.

"I…, maybe"

"No maybe about it, Dr. Rhodes. I've seen it. Now you've to choose if you'll act on it"

"Why exactly are you taking part in this again?" I don't even know what I want to do about this

"He likes you enough to introduce me. He's just oblivious to male attention, you gotta either say it to his face or be very obvious about it. Just don't jump him, or I'll shoot your nuts off"

"Shoot my…what are you talking about?"

"Dr. Rhodes, you were staring at my ex brother-in-law 's ass when he walked away from you, and at his lips when he pouted. You either want to fuck him or date him, I'm just making my parameters clear."

"You mean this is a shovel talk"

"Hey, I'm the big sis, it's my duty"

"You realize that Will and I are just friends"

"Not for long"

"You—"

It seemed Will had arrived back in in hearing proximity before he could finished his response, as Latania leaned forward to clap him, heard, on the shoulder. "Thanks, doc. I appreciate you looking out for him"

And with that Latania left from them with a smile over her face. She was very good to causes troubles when she was younger but this not stopped her to do it again.

''Latania''

The low voice of Hank Voight caused a shiver to run down her spine.

She sat at the chair to his left.

''Or I have tp say Mrs. Halstead?''

Latania waved it off though

"I'm not married. Anymore at least''

She shot back, biting her lip.

Hank smirked, pleased to hear that she was single. "Now that is a surprise." He admitted, "You continue to shock me."

''What about a drink?''She mused with a wry grin.

"Are you trying to to seduce me?"

Latania blushed, and someone cleared their throat, reminding me that Hank was in the middle of his squad room, flirting with a woman who had to be half his age. Jay was glaring daggers into the back of Hank's head, but there hadn't been any action yet.

"It's important to have goals." Latania smirked, an expression that fully captured just how much Latania loved to push men' buttons.

"You going to arrest me officer?" She chuckled darkly, extending his wrists mockingly to Hank as if offering them for cuffs.

"I should." He scowled challengingly.

* * *

Jay was pissed.

God dammit if you weren't the most stubborn, strong-willed, unruly wildcat of a woman he'd ever met. Normally Jay considered that a good was glaring at Latania and Voight who were talking and laughing. He had no idea what was so amusing ,but it fed the fire that was burning in his heart. Jealousy was about to eat her up alive, and he could feel veins popping in his forehead.

''What is this about a wife Halstead? ''Platt ordered sitting next to him.

Jay has never been one to care much about others around him. But after seeing Latania just the previous day, he felt like his whole world was crashing down.

'Ummm…. Well, about 4 years ago, I was married to this woman named Latania Monroe. She was great, everything was great. But because of her job she had to travel a lot and I was alone and we left off on a bad note." Jay explains.

Alvin looks at his mate. "Bad how?"

He shakes his head, still looking around. "I was cheating."

Trudy Platt snorts, crossing her arms and pinning him with a glare. "Who knew Jay Halstead could stoop so low?"

Jay growls in warning, but doesn't bother to comment.

"Why didn't you tell us you had a wife?''

"I'm not ashamed of her," Jay replied quietly. ''Latania is my world and I will protector form everyone even you guys. I know, I know, and I'm sorry. It's just, I don't know, I wanted my personal life to stay...personal. It's not like that either, I just...It was my way of sort of..protecting him.''

Just as his head was clearing, Latania's piercing giggle struck him back into reality. The older man had been flirting with his ex-wife non-stop for the past hour.

Latania was flirting back?

But Jay finally lost it when Voight brushed a lock of her hair out of Latania's eyes.

''You identify bodies?''asked Voight as he listened to the work of the woman and was curious about it.

''And I do more than identify''

''She also writes books''said Jay grapped the woman out of the bar.

''What the hell Jay?''Latania demands sharply.

"What was that?!" Jay roars at Latania, meant the sence between Voight and her. Latania smirks, crossing her arms and looking Jay in the eyes.

''It's not of you shit about that the hell I'm doing. You have your barbie now with your bed. Why you care about me?''Latania yelled at him.

Yes, Latania would be mad, but he could calm her down. He could explain, he had always managed to before.

He mustered up his courage, trying to ignore the tension. Quietly, he murmured, "Latania."

"Don't," she said softly, not turning around. "Don't speak."

Jay faltered for a second before he pressed on. "Please Latania, please, just let me explain—"

"Don't," she snapped, turning just slightly. He flinched back from her voice.

He had to wait in tense silence for a few minutes before she spoke again.

"I treasured every moment we spent together," Latania said quietly. "Because, from the moment you gave me your umbrella, I knew I was in love with you. And then, when you kissed me, I knew you were mine, and mine alone."

He remembered when they were teenagers, the rain ,her book ,his umbrella.

But Latania's voice was almost emotionless, and it made Jay.. anxious. This felt different from their other fights. Tentatively he tried to speak, "Tania—"

"You said you were mine," she said, cutting him off. Her words were sharp. He saw her fragile shoulders slump slightly. "You said that you were mine, Jay."

Please, he wanted to say to her, let's just forget it. Let us move on. But she would not listen yet. He knew she would not.

Latania turned to look at him with a cold expression. ''You think ,I'm that easy. You really fucking think, that after all this time you can just show up and this will make everything right!?''She asked.

"Latania I-" he tried to speak but was interrupted by her

"You WHAT?! Jay?" Latania was yelling so loud her voice echoed off of the walls . Jay knitted his brows together and stepped back. He'd never seen her so upset before, so angry. Not that he didn't have a right to be.

"I'm so sorry." Jay's voice broke, the back of his throat hurting from the effort of holding back the urge to just cry wantonly.

"You should have been sorry when you had your dick in her!" Latania barked. "Why, Jay?" she asked desperately. "Why? Being drunk is how it happened, not why. You told me you loved me the morning before the -"

"I do!" Peter said desperately.

"BUT YOU FUCKED SOMEONE ELSE!" Latania yelled. Her breath suddenly hitched with the effort of trying to hold back an angry sob, and Jay felt it like a fist in his chest. Latania didn't cry, and there she was so close because of him.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Latania-" a little sob broke through him.

"God, I told you everything! I trusted you! I thought you wanted me!"

"I do."

"Or anyone else who'll have you!" Latania spat. "Do you want to be with her? Do you love her?"

"No!" Jay insisted. "I love you. I'm so sorry for what I've done."

"'Sorry' doesn't unfuck him! Sorry doesn't -" she paused suddenly, voice dropping in volume as something occurred to her. "Did you use a condom?"

Jay gave a tiny shake of his head, dropping his gaze, too ashamed to look at Latania, arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"Holy shit, Jay!" Latania took two long strides and punched the nearest wall with the side of her fist.

"I'm sorry," Jay sobbed, because there were no other words, nothing that could remotely make it better.

"We're done here," Latania snapped.

Jay interrupts, "Latania if you would just fucking listen!''

"Shut up," she hissed.

The woman was removed from the man with tears in her eyes. Latania cried.

A lot.

For Jay Halstead.

She hated him

Oh, who is she kidding? There's a million other things to it! Ltania CAN'T hate Jay, no matter how hard she tries. So instead of facing the truth, she bottles up her emotions and throws them into the never-ending sea of pain, because that's easier than admitting she has a problem. And no matter how hard she tries, hatred for Jay never exists. Latania knows she needs to face the man in order to ever truly get over him, so she inhales sharply and decides her fate with a single sentence.

"How could you cheat on me?" she yelled to no one but a voice answered.

The woman turned in the direction of the voice to see the boss of her ex-husband to stood a few feet away.

''He's an idiot''said Voight while her beautiful face was tearstained, and in her hands, she fiddled with her wedding ring. Voight's heart clenched painfully at the sight.

He knew that she needed time so he simply gathered her in a hug of reassurance.''"Shh. I'm right here. It's going to be okay. Change is hard. I wonder if he knew about the relationship between these two I would have stopped them. No one knew that Jay is married and I must say that he is true to hurt a woman like you

He pulled her back into the hug. He could hear her start to cry softly.

Voight had been investigating the woman he met a couple of days before at the bar and turned out she was the wife of Jay Halstead or ex-wife.

_If I had a woman like her on my side._. He thought

Once she had settled down, she asked to have some time to make herself presentable. "You look beautiful."

She laughed. "I can only imagine what you find beautiful then because I know I have eye make-up running down my face."

''I have to go. I have class to tomorrow" She sighs. Voight offer her small smile of sympathy.

Latania doesn't want his sympathy. No, she wants more than anything to shatter Hay Halstead. She wants to do to Jay what Jay did to her. Latania wants revenge.

And boy will Latania get her revenge.

* * *

**Will Latania forgive Jay?**


	5. Chapter 5

Connor woke up to a pounding headache that only worsened as he opened his eyes and tried to sit up. As he did he was hit with a wave of nausea and confusion, as he realised that this was not his apartment. In fact he had no idea where he was, which hadn't been an entirely uncommon experience lately. But there was no one lying next to him to give him any sort of clue as to what had happened. He was also fully clothed, which made matters even more confusing.

Fruitlessly he tried to cast his mind back to the night before, the few bits and pieces he could remember still didn't exactly explain why he was here. Or where here actually was.

And then Will walked out, wearing a hoodie and sweatpants, hair adorably ruffled, and it answered at least one of Connors questions.

"Oh, you're up" Will said as he caught sight of Connor, and he grabbed a glass of water and some aspirin handing them to Connor.

"Thanks" Connor said, voice still rough from sleep. "What happened last night?"

"I was wondering how much you were going to remember. You were very drunk, and my place was closer to the bar and I didn't want to leave you alone." Will said with a smile, before becoming slightly more serious, shifting his weight nervously. "There is something we should probably talk about"

Connors heart skipped a beat at that and his blood froze with panic as he desperately tried to think of what he said or did last night.

"What happened?" Connor asked, trying and failing to keep the panic out of his voice.

"It's not bad, just confusing" Will said, before coming to perch on the far end of the sofa. "Last night you were, well you were going around telling people I kiss better than anyone. And, thank you for the compliment, but I am confused as to how you got to that conclusion, considering that we've never actually kissed before"

Connors face flushed as he started to remember the moment Will was talking about. Will had been talking to someone Connor didn't think he had seen before, but she had been pretty and Will had seemed to be into her and for some reason he had decided that his best move as a wingman would be to burst into their conversation by proclaiming Will to be a great kisser. Well, he would call it wing manning now, at the time he had had the opposite motivation. He had then continued to spend the rest of the evening telling that to everyone who would listen, and to quite a few people who were actively trying not to listen to his slightly slurred ramble. It wasn't quite a confession of his feelings, but it felt as damning as one.

"Sorry" was all Connor said in response, unable to think of anything else he could say that would fix this situation.

"Don't apologise, trust me I take it as a compliment. I'm just wondering what caused it"

"I, I meant about crashing your conversation with the woman you were talking to"

Wills brows furrowed in confusion, before his eyes lit up in recognition "Oh, that was going nowhere, don't worry"

"Oh, good. And I don't know why I said it, I mean, it's not like I think about how you would kiss, because that would be weird, and unprofessional and I just wouldn't do that…" Connor continued to ramble on, spewing denials, and Will couldn't stop the smile that was creeping across his face. Because he knew Connor, and he knew what Connor was like when he was arguing for what he believed was true. He was strong, sure of himself. He spoke in eloquent and snappy sentences. This panic, it meant it was all a lie.

"Well, I've certainly thought about what it would be like to kiss you" Will said, deciding to put Connor out of his misery.

"Really?" Connor asked, and the panic in his eyes changed to tentative joy, which only increased as Will nodded. "Do you want to find out what it's actually like?" Connor said, part of him unable to believe that this was actually happening.

As Will leaned in and kissed him Connor realised that he was correct, because this was probably the best kiss of his life. Because the kiss between them, it felt like everything they had done since their first meeting had led up to it. It was the culmination of years of tension between them, and now that they were both finally, finally, on the same page, it was like the universe had come together.

Will slowly pulled away and asked with a smile on his face, and his brown eyes soft and adoring "So, were you right?"

"You are definitely the best"

Three houra later Will slowly opens his eyes as the sunlight streams through the window and hits his face. Sometimes he hates that his apartment gets the sun every morning, it always wakes him up.

He looks to his side where he sees Connor sleeping and smiles. He looks so handsome sleeping.

They had a great night together last night. Will doesn't like to rush into sex because he doesn't want to send the message that that's all he wants. But it isn't like that with Connor, what they have isn't just physical, and Will can really see having a relationship with him.

Since he's up, Will needs coffee so he quietly and gently gets out of bed as not to wake up Connor. He sees clothes strewn all over the floor, pants and shirts in one spot, socks and underwear in another. He smirks remembering how it all went down.

Will opens his drawer and pulls out a pair of black boxers, black shorts, and a white wifebeater to throw on.

After getting dressed, he quietly opens the bedroom door, walks out, and then quietly closes it.

Will walks into the kitchen and stops dead in his tracks when he says his brother Jay sitting at the counter just like when he had woken up yesterday. Did Jay spend the night again? Did he hear him and Brian come home? Is Jay going to be here when Connor wakes up?

"Morning Jay," says Will as he walks over to the coffee pot. "To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you two mornings in a row?"

"Good morning," says Jay as he sips his coffee. "I forgot my jacket here yesterday so I came by to pick it up before work. I made myself some coffee and made some extra in case you woke up while I was still here."

"Don't you have to get to the district?" asks an anxious Will as he pours himself coffee and looks back towards his bedroom. "Wouldn't want you to be late."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" asks Jay squinting his eyes at his brother.

"Now what would make you think that?" asks Will trying to sound calm even though he feels his heart beating fast. It's one thing for his brother to know he's gay, it's another thing for Jay to be here when he and his date wake up after spending the night together.

Before either of them can say another word, they hear the sound of Will's bedroom door opening. Will's heart drops as he knows what's coming.

"Will," calls Connor as he walks towards the kitchen wearing his boxers and wifebeater.

He walks in and sees Will and Jay.

"Who's this babe?" asks Connor as he walks over to Will.

At this point, Jay is grinning and Will is overcome with embarrassment.

There's a long, lingering silence where all they do is look back and forth at each other while Connor fixes himself something to drink, and Will is sure Jay is going to have a stroke before he finally, finally says, "Wait."

Connor sets his glass down on the counter. "Yeah?"

"But you…" Jay says directly to Will. "Wait."

"Jay," Will starts, has to stop for a moment or two to figure out what to say. "Maybe we should sit down?"

"Absolutely not. Because there's no way you're about to tell me what I think it is you're about to tell me."

"Jay," Will says, softer this time.

''I cannot fucking believe it''yelled Jay. ''I own Latania 133 dollars''

This was something that the red head did not expect to hear from his brother.

''Latania and I have a bet about your love life''the oldest brother began to explain.'' I always thought that you liked Natalie and eventually get married her but Latania said something about a sexy doctor and a crush''

_**''Natalie? Marrying Will**. Not as long as I'm still breathing'_ thought a furious Connor.

''But I never have to go against a woman with an IQ of 187 and can read 20,000 words per minute with an eidetic memory''said Jay with hurt in his eyes.

Will knew that his brother still loved his wife and had regretted having had hurt her . The younger Halstead wandered about winning her back but no result and what had happened in the bar between his boss and the woman were like a bullet in his heart.

"Let's make things clear, Rhodes," Jay Halstead said.

''I respect you for everything you have done for me and my companions and I know that I was a good doctor. But right now you're on my blacklist, and you know why? ''He narrowed his eyes and Connor did all of his self-control so as not to roll his eyes.

_Of course he knew. It was not stupid, thanks._

Jay raised an eyebrow when the other man remained silent and for that reason gave him a point in favor''. Let's make things clear, Rhodes. You make him cry, I shoot you. You hurt him in some way, he shot you. You disrespect him in some way, I shoot you. You go over with him, I shoot you. You cheat, I shoot you. You say or do something that could harm him, I'll shoot you. Are we clear?''

Connor nodded three times, feeling the sweat trickle down the back of his neck.

Jay nodded satisfied and relaxed his posture, leaning his hip on the dining room table and looking around the apartment critically, assessing it and Connor felt nervous, the feeling reminding him when he was a teenager and eager to meet any requirement that made him be the height of his stupid father's considerations.

Got it?"

"Yeah. Got it," Connor replies, deadpan, and Will can tell he's fighting the urge to roll his eyes.

* * *

''Bones''asked Erin in disbelief as she looked the empty panel of elements. No one of of the District 21 Intelligence Unit ate breakfast or haa coffee because Plat gave them a case without a good morning. Two bodies were found in an old warehouse but they can not recognize it as there were only bones.

''We have a problem''said Voight coming out of his office. ''I spoke with a forensic expert that they can not recognize the victims. Without victims we can to continue the investigation''

A smile appeared in Jay's face as he knew the perfect person for this job.

''I know the right person''said Jay pulling out his cell and texted:

To Latania:

_I need your help with a body_

From Latania:

_I'm coming_

Erin heard Latania before she saw her—those expensive Jimmy Choo heels of hers, clicking loudly on the linoleum floor

She was wearing an unbuttoned coat, holding a briefcase, and she had an anxious, brusque air about her, as though she had brought the outside cold in with her.

Erin was standing in the table, with Antonio ,Ruzek and Olinsky. But But instead of approaching them, Latania went straight to Hank, the woman stood so close to the man that their noses touched one another. Hankwas staring at the woman's eyes and not noticed that Jay would have done anything, anything to capture this man and have him sit in the freezing interrogation room so that he could give him a piece of his mind. He was a possessive son of a bitch even if Latania was not his wife anymore.

''What do you want from me?''asked Latania as well sat on the desk of Antonio and everyone check her out.

''I need you help''said Voight in an attempt to pull the gazes of the employees away from the woman.''We found a body but we can not recognize the victim''

Latania she looked around in the room and saw that every male were staring her as if she was an object except her ex-husband and co-worker. The woman smirked inside her and knew it was time to show to the blonde woman why there could not stand a chance against her.

''I want to see the bones''said Latania looking at Voight.

''You're a teacher''said Erin not being able to stand Jay gaze at the woman...Okay so she was jealous but no one needed to know.

Latania's grin was positively feral but the illusion was broken as she started to laugh, shaking her head. Jay smirked but then became completely serious.

''Yeah , and a mathematical , physicist, sociologist, anthropologist and an engineer, which gives the same number of doctorates as the two of you put together because you don't have any''The woman said calmly.''Now , give me the radiography''

Latania grapped the radiography from Voight's hand and walked to the the sun is falling over her beautiful eyes and relief was an understatement to describe what Jay felt when he saw blue eyed angel at the window. His chest ached at the lack of her presence.

Her reaction was something out of a dream when she pulled the screen out. It was like Jay could see the stress and pain roll off her with the gush of wind that had hit her. She looked so carefree and restful in that moment that Jay had let his control go, all the blood goes down.

There was a long silence, one that seemed to fill the room, then the whole station, before Latania finally spoke once again.

''This is obviously a caucasian male aged somewhere between 34 and 38 years old working at a construction site judging by the shape of the skull. The person on the left is a woman aged 50 to 59 as you easily can see her hands aew grown to that point and the articular bone in the lower jaw is not only fully developed but also she has developed a temporomandibular joint dosorder. Her skin color is also fairly easy to see. Accoriding to the upper cervical curve, whice is slightly different from race to race, she must be either caucasian or from Northern Asia''the woman said, finishing and looking at the detectives only to see an entire, stunned audience. Well except Jay. Jay was enjoying the show and he was proud of the doctor.

"What's wrong?"

"What's—WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Ruzek shouted.

"What?"

''I' am an anthropologist ,which is the study of humanity. Basically they want to figure out what makes humans human. An anthropologist might be interested in everything from the traditions of a tribe on a remote island to the culture of an urban community and everything in between. Biological anthropologists spend their time with fossils and artifacts trying to figure out how early humans might have behaved and what makes us different from other primates.

"Ah-wha," Ruzek stuttered. Antonio ,Erin ,Onlisky and Voight could only remain speechless.

* * *

The case was a political mess. High stakes, influential people and a dead girl. Everyone pretended to be innocent, sending thoughts and prayers that did nothing, just made them look very worried. Worriers in the name of justice that threw money at their face to make it go away. Like hell, Hank was going to let it happen. Even if it meant dishing out threats and staying up until dawn, Intelligence would pull through.

But first, he needed to eat. The paperwork and empty leads had pushed the idea of food from his mind. It wasn't a priority then, but now, there was nothing he wished more than a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, it was too early for any coffee shop to be open. Sleeping wasn't an option- the images of the poor girl were burned into his retinas. He considered a drive-through, but it was too much work for such a bad coffee.

Hank was out of options. Or so he thought. He walked along the grey streets of Chicago, feeling the usual snowfall on his shoulders. The sun was still hiding behind the horizon, but there were a few rays that managed to escape, giving the city an orange glow. Unfortunately, even the Sun couldn't defeat the Chicago weather.

He looked over his shoulder and groaned when he found Latania Monroe smirking at him from behind the wheel of her stylish, black Porsche Panama. She lowered her window and poked her head out.

"Need a ride?"

"I'll rather run straight into the hands of Jack the Ripper." Voight answered sweetly and Latania shot him an amused smile. '"What are you doing here?"

"Came to torment my favorite Sergeant , of course," she grins

"What? Are you lonely?" Voight playfully whines. He swears Latrania flinches ever so briefly at her jab.

"Hardly," Latania scoffs. ''Well whiskey?''

"Come on, Sergeant ! I promise I won't bite." Voight stopped and Latania did as well. He looked at the woman who was smirking at him and sighed.

"You pay." Voight stressed and Ltania gave him an innocent smile.

"Sure. Cross my heart."

* * *

Voight sat on the couch in Latania's apartment, her apartment was so much smaller than his own. Everywhere he looked he found books piled, it didn't surprise Voight at all, he found ta the woman liked reading but didn't expect her to have as many books as she did. What surprised him was the fact that there was only one bookcase in the whole room, looks double stocked and piled filing the bookcase complete. Latania sure had the room for more bookcases, he couldn't help wonder why the woman didn't have any.

"Sorry, the place is a mess, I'm redecorating my second spare room," She apologised, handing Voighy a cup of tea, while Latania sipped at his coffee.

"Show me," Voight told Latania, standing from the couch.

Latania showed Voight down the narrow hallway and into a reasonable large room, he could smell the fresh paint and see the long thin cardboard boxes stacked at the side of the room apart from that the room was empty. Voight knelt down to get a closer look at the boxes noticing that they were bookcases. That was why there was books everywhere, he turned to Latania leaning against the doorframe looking at him.

"That's why your living room is filled with books," Voight said, Latania nodded glancing down at her watch.

Hank, I need to go to the university...one of my old professions has asked me to speak to his students," Latania told Voight.

"Do you mind if I stay until you return?" Voight questioned, he saw Latania's uncertainly for a second until she nodded.

Leaving the house, Latania felt strange knowing that she was leaving Voight alone in her house. Latania just hoped that Voight didn't go snooping around her house, she knew there was nothing too bad, but if Voight looked in her bedside draw he would find boxes and boxes of pills. Dressed in his usual, Voight took off his leather jacket and made his way to the kitchen, taking a sharp knife from the knife block on the bench, Voight returned to Latanias spare room.

Opening the first box, Voight scanned the instructions looking them up and ddow before turning his attention to the screws, bolts, washers and wood slates in the box. Being quick to screw everything together, Voight was finished with the first bookcase in twenty minutes. The rest went together quite easily, the three corner bookcases were a pain, but Voight had them quickly together. Moving all the bookcases into place, Voight looked around the room, he stared at the room, with all the bookcases in place there was no weak, every available space in the room was filled.

Everything fit perfectly; Voight knew Latania must have measured and brought what was needed to the exact measurements. Voight looked at the bookcases, thinking to himself that all of Latania's looks would fit on the sleeves. Bring books into the room, Voight sorted by authors. He began to put books together slowly making his way through the piles which he had brought in. Stepping into his apartment, Latania expected to see Voight in the living room, not seeing him Latania noticed Voight jacket thrown over the back of her couch. Noticing piles of her books gone, she wandered into the kitchen, noticing a knife was missing, pulling a bag over her head, Latania gently set her bag down on the couch as she headed up the narrow hallway. Hearing something inside the spare room, Latania stepped into the doorway. Stood completely shocked, she hadn't a clue at what to say she was amazed.

"Hello Latania, how was the talk?" Voight asked, noticing Latania's surprise and ignoring it.

"You didn't need to do this," Latania whispered watching as she took more and more of the room in.

Voight put the books he was holding in the bookcases, before he turned back to Latania to pay full attention to her.

"You didn't need to do this, I would have got round to it," Latania told him.

"What do you think?" Voight asked, Latania realised she hadn't told Voight had fantastic he thought it looked.

"It's perfect," Latania answered, tears gathering in her eyes.

" Latania, come here," Voight told him, avoiding the piles of books Latania made her way to him. Standing in front of him, Latania felt herself being turned around to look at the books already on the shelfs.

"Your books at work are sorted by authors, I thought that you would sort the same at home," Voight told her.

Hugging Voight tightly, Latania felt so happy and so loved. Not use to being hugged by the someone, Voight hugged her back, knowing the woman really thankful for what he had done for her.

"You are welcome," Voight told the her.

Latania looked up at Voight her eyes watery from the happiness she was feeling.

"Want a drink?" Latania asks, her voice an absent mumble

"If I drink again," Voight says, "I can't drive home."

"I know," Latania says, her eyes sharp and full of certainty. She knows what she's doing, what she's asking. With the heat in her cheeks beginning to subside, Voight nods. A downpour of nervousness rages through him, but he swallows it back and smiles gently.

"I'd like that."


	6. Chapter 6

**I! Ιn the previous chapter there was a change to the last part. Hank and Latania didn't sleep together**

* * *

Connor wanted to kill Natalie. He knows that Will and Natalie were just friends but that didn't stop the burning in his gut or the bitter taste at the back of his throat, brought on by the way one of the womanwas talking to Will. The way they leaned in close to him, laughing at something he said, one of them placing a hand on his arm. It could be mistaken for a casual touch, but it made something vicious awaken and snarl deep within Connor.

Almost on instinct Connor strode towards Will "Dr Halstead, I need you consult on a patient with me" he said, voice miles calmer than he felt, but still firm, colder than usual.

Will said goodbye to Natalie, following his boyfriend with a slightly confused smile on his face.

"Are you okay?"Will asked as he followed Connor, who most certainly wasn't going back down to the ED, instead making a beeline for the closet supply closet, pulling Will in with him and pressing him up against one of the shelves. As Connor pushed one hand through Will'ss hair he leaned down slightly, capturing his lips, deepening the kiss almost immediately. Although surprise and shock keptWill in frozen in place for a split second, he started to respond enthusiastically, and when they finally pulled away, breathless, he had a smile on his face.

"I'll take that as a yes." Will said with a slight chuckle. "What brought this on?"

Connor could understand his confusion, Connor was often averse to any kind of PDA art work, and even though they were tucked away, with as much privacy as they could really get at the hospital, it was still a change in his usual behaviour.

"Just… missed you" Connor replied, and while it wasn't the exact reason why he had dragged Will in here, it wasn't a complete lie either. Before Will could ask any more questions Connor kissed him again, before starting mouthing along his neck, an urge rising up within him to leave a mark. To let people know that Will was taken, to create a 'keep off' sign upon Connors skin.

"Hey, what is wrong?." Will said, leaning back slightly, some of the equipment on the shelf behind him clanking as he rocked it slightly, and while Connor stopped, he couldn't help but let out a disappointed huff.

Connor sighed, it had been, but when he had made it he he had never expected he would ever feel this way.

" I don't like the way Natalie was looking at you" Connor admitted, in a hushed tone, about to go back to nibbling at Will's collarbone but then Will spoke and something in his voice stopped him.

"You're jealous" Will said, and as Connor looked up he saw that Wills brow was furrowed, and he wanted to reach up, to try and smooth out the creases that marked Will's skin. But he moved his head to the side before Connor could reach him, and placed on hand on Connor's chest, pushing him gently off him until Connor took a step back.

"You know that me and her are just friends and I know ,Natalie has a hug crush on me but I have eyes only for you. Her heart-eyes and the flirting will not take me away from you" Will said.

"I mean, do you think I enjoy looking at you and Robin, or hearing all the gossip, all the talk about you two? I don't.." Will said, brushing a hand through his hair, trying to neaten it, remove any sign of Connor.

''I saw Hank Voight with Latania to come out of her house today''Connor said, voice still soft, quiet, gentle.

The eyes of Will went wide hearing this and asked. ''Does Jay know any of this?''

The red head closed his eyes for a moment, taking a breath knowing that his brother would not get along well with the news and could kill his boss in an angry explosion

''Of course not!. Voight's still breathing isn't he?''and with that Will left Connor alone,, with an uncomfortable lump in his throat and sinking feeling in his gut until Natalie stand in front of him.

"You Know he doesn't really love you, right?"

"What do you mean?" Connor said voice tight, fairly sure of her meaning, but wanting clarification.

"This is just a phase. I mean, you must know that right?" Natalie said, speaking slowly, as if explaining things to a small child. Connor was pretty sure that annoyed him almost as much as what she was implying. The way she was acting as if she knew Will better than him, as if she needed to explain Will and the way he felt to him, it was infuriating.

"And you're so sure of that, why?" Connor said, standing up from the sofa he had been lounging on. He wasn't sure why he was egging Natalie on, maybe it was because Natalie was putting a voice to the thoughts that haunted him late at night.

"And you think you mean anything to him?" Natalie said, voice as cold and as sharp as a knife.

"He loves me." Connor said, voice firm even though Will had never actually said the words. He didn't have to. It was clear in the way the way Connor had taken the time to learn how to make Connor's favourite food and would make it whenever it was clear he had a tough day. It was clear in every kiss, every term of endearment, every smile. Really, it was clear in everything he did.

And it didn't matter that Will hadn't said anything, Connor understood why. It didn't matter that Natalie didn't, that she never would. That she could never understand what it was like to constantly live ashamed of your own feelings, to be so scared even admitting to yourself how you feel seems impossible. And then being so elated when you finally have the strength to be yourself, to accept who you were. And to find someone like you, and someone who could love you and make you feel so happy, could make you feel things you thought you'd never feel. And then with the fears that doing anything could ruin what you have, of course Will hadn't said anything. Neither had Will. But that didn't matter. Not to them.

"And I'm sorry if that's hard for you to understand." Connor continued on, fire in his voice. "But he's happier without you. In fact I don't think he was ever really happy with you. Now, while you try and process that, I'm going to go be with my boyfriend" Connor said, striding out the room, voice steady and sure even though his heart was racing. But even if they were words he never expected to say out loud he knew with every fibre of his being that they were true.

* * *

Jay hangs up the phone with a sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose.

He walked into the kitchen and got himself a glass of water. He started to think about why Voight was at Latania`s apartment.

Jay didn't want to think about why it made him see suddenly everything in red. His chest gone tight with a whiplash of his temper, while his mind screamed in jealous possessiveness.

Voight an Latania, making love. What hurt most was that he himself could not give Latania what she wanted. And so, Latania had to find it elsewhere. Jay gripped the glass so tightly that it shattered, embedding glass in his hand. He was too angry to notice the pain, or the blood dripping down onto the hardwood floor.

Everyone saw Jay coming and headed his way. Jay didn't run inside, he strode with cool, confident purpose, so they knew there was some new development.

Voight stepped out, looking down at the file of their new case. If they hadn't known before what had caused Jay to apparently they saw Jay come to a stop only feet from her and turn to look at Voight. Everyone saw rage in Jay's eyes as he looked at the other man.

Voight only looked up in time to see Jay rushing him. He let out a startled squeak as Jay knocked him to the ground. Erin just watched in horror; hand over her mouth, as she saw her partner boss break from reality. She didn't know what to do, so she just yelled for someone's help.

Jay had Voight pinned, and had his fist pulled back, poised to punch him in the face. Between gritted teeth, Jay ground out, "Are you sleeping with Latania ?"

Jay was so full of fury and hatred, he couldn't think, couldn't focus on anything but raining down blows on the other man.

Only when Antonio and Adam hauled him off of Voight did a sense of his surroundings come back to him.

Adam stared at him for a second before dropping down to check on the other man, who was groaning in pain. Jay fought to get his breathing under control, but the rage was still flaring in him wildly.

When Voight turned onto his side to spit out blood, Jay's rage exploded again, but since he was being held back by Antonio, he couldn't launch himself at the other man to finish what he started.

"You son of a bitch!" He roared,"I'm going to kill you. You hear me? You're dead. You're going to wish you'd never laid a finger on him."

Voight tried to speak in a reassuring and calm tone, "I'm not sleeping with Latania, Halstead.

Jay wasn't convinced. His rational mind was still taking a back seat to his emotional one. With venom in his voice he accused Voight. " Why you were at her house the other day?"Jay made sure to emphasis every syllable, "Why did he chose you over me?"

Voight could tell he wasn't dealing with a Jay that could be reasoned with, but he didn't see what else he could do, so he responded. "I'm not sleeping with Jay. We were had a drink and then we went to her house"Voight couldn't help a little of his anger boiling over as he looked at Jay."As for why he chose me, maybe it's because I did not cheated on her with my partner"

Olinsky looked at him in alarm and he felt Ruzek freeze at his side once the words left his mouth,

Erin looked away from the sence in front of her.

Voight saw his words running through Jay's head, and thought for a moment he had gotten lucky, but then the storm of rage came back to Jay's face and tried to dislodge Antonio's hold on him, but he held tight.

Jay's eyes narrowed. "Just what are you to her?"

"Just a friend. But dat don't mean I can't be sometin' more." Voight replied, deliberately goading the man standing in front of him.

A flash of jealousy went through Jay. "Stay away from her," he growled.

Voight shrugged. "Not really my decision, is it?Latania's a big girl, no," shaking his head, "Latania's a woman. She make her own decisions. If she wants me around, I stay around." He stepped back. "Which is more than you can say."

Jay growled low in his throat. "What do you want?"

Voight grinned. "Jus' one thing." He took a few more steps forward, stopping inches from Jay. . "If you hurt her," he began in a low voice, "I don't care what about police .I will hunt you down and make sure you suffer." His eyes glittered with knowledge and promise

Get. Out. Of. My. Way." Jay bit out each word. Voight turned slightly and Jay strode past him. As Voight looked after him, Olinsky's voice floated up from behind him.

"What are you thinking, Hank?"

He shook his head.

" Nothing "

* * *

Latania isn't sure what she expects when she answers the door five minutes shy of midnight, but it isn't Voight with a growing bruise under his eye and blood on his shirt, eyes broken and pained.

Latania hisses, reaches forward to grip Voight's chin and turn his face to get a better look at the shiner. Voight flinches and Latania grimaces apologetically.

"What happened?"

Voight shakes his head minutely, stares with blank eyes at Latania's door. Voight turns Latania's head, her thumb on Voight's chin, forcing Viught to meet her eyes.

"What happened?" Voight's eyes finally meet her, shiny and sad. Latania feels a clenching in her gut, pulls him forward into the condo, shuts the door behind them. "Hank?"

Hank's eyes dart around Latania's condo, land on the paperwork open on the table.

Voight swallows. "Jay."

Latania steps in front of Voight, into his line of vision. "Jay did this?"

Hank winced as Latania tended to the battle scar on his lip. He hears Latania's whispered "Why?" as clearly as if she'd shouted it, voice raw with emotion in a way that has Hank's chest clenching painfully.

"Tell me he looks worse?" she asked raising her eyebrows at him.

''No''Hank replied and then added .''I would never hurt one of my team members'' Voight smiled smugly at this and instantly regretted it as the cut on his lip started to sting again. He reached for his scotch to help numb the pain.

"Why?" Latania said simply.

''New book?''asked Voight ,changing the subject of the discussion not wanting to hurt her.

''Yes''

Her books had been an outlet for her frustrations with people and releasing it in the form of a story. When she was not working on bones or teaching, she was writing. Writing is her second release. With the way everyone had been acting, why should she associate with them outside of the professional bounds of her career. She had been writing in betrayal into her latest book.

She had something else to focus on. She was starting an academic program to help the teenagers get out of the system and to go to school or help the ones who dropped out get their g.e.d. Her program was being well received by the youth centers around the city that help these kids. It was staying under the radar but she had her first success story.

Her name, Beth Mitchell. She was put into the foster care system when she was three and being moved around was making school hard for her. The program also offered SAT/ACT prep. Beth took her standardized tests and applied to Temple University and got in as an honors student on full scholarship.

Due to her life in the foster system, she wanted to help others get out early and the way is through education. She understood what abuse feels like, what it feels like to have to move your life around in a trash bag. Others may judge but she does not. She knows she has her faults but sometimes you have to evolved to fix a problem.

There were a few around her that knew about what she was doing. Connor was a big fan of it as was Will. For Will, the activity is not self-destructive so he was not worried about her well being through that but he had noticed that she has severe depression. The interns knew about it and wanted to volunteer as tutors.

Two hour after that Latania and Voight found themselves at a restaurant with Hank Voight having an amazing time. Up until now, he had been sure that the fire had burned out any shred of human feeling he had left. Funny that what he was intentionally doing to her, she had unwittingly done to him...awakened feelings that had lain dormant for years. Dormant...but not as dead as he thought.

He looked at her with new eyes and debated the choice he had in front of him.

"Are you sure you don't want dessert?" he asked again.

"No, thank you, I'm on a diet." She said.

"You're kidding me. Why ever for? You look stunning." He said with dead seriousness.

"Oh, thank you, I know I don't not really-" she stopped when she felt his hand on her chin dragging her blushing face up until their eyes met.

"You don't know the power you have. You are a goddess...don't let anyone tell you different. I've never met a woman like you." The sincerity in his voice was impossible to fake. He believed every word he said. Latania's face was glowing like a crimson moon.

Tell me about you. Why Chicago?"

"You don't want to hear about all of that."

"Never be afraid to tell me anything, Latania. In fact, I am determined to find out everything there is to know about you, so you might as well get it over with. I am relentless when I need to be."

" Halstead?"

Latania knew that often the last thing a guy wanted to hear on a date was about previous relationships, but since he asked...

She attempted to gloss over and summarize, but each time he stopped her and asked questions and probed for detail until she gave up and gave him the 'long version'. He took it all in, only reacting once when she described the cheating. His fist clenched around his teaspoon, turning it into a stainless steel pretzel.

"I really see things for what they really were. I was only marrying him out of obligation, because we'd been together so long, because him and his family wanted it, but not for love…never for love. I want to marry for love, not duty. I want to live my life without regrets, and marrying him was been my biggest"

Voight started to choke on his wine.

"Crime in Chicago has been tracked by the Chicago Police Department's Bureau of Records since the beginning of the 20th century. The city's overall crime rate, especially the violent crime rate, is higher than the US average. Chicago was responsible for nearly half of 2016's increase in homicides in the US, though the nation's crime rates remain near historic experienced a major rise in violent crime starting in the late 1960s,a decline in overall crime in the 2000s,and then a rise in murders in , rape, and robbery are common violent crimes in the city, and the occurrences of such incidents are documented by the Chicago Police Department and indexed in annual crime is considered the most gang-infested city in the United States, with a population of over 100,000 active members from nearly 60 warfare and retaliation is common in Chicago. Gangs were responsible for 61% of the homicides in Chicago in 2011."

Voight frowned.

"Sorry. I'm rambling.I always wanted to built a school for everyone that do not we have to judge the other by the color of his skin or his clothes or his origin "

"I think...I'd like to kiss you, if you don't mind." he whispered, against all reason.

The breath stopped in her throat.

Their eyes met, and the connection that had been buzzing between them like electricity between two broken wires suddenly grew strong and steady. In both their minds, they jumped off of their own proverbial cliffs and gave themselves over to the idea that they could actually fall in love.

The kiss was pure passion, and both forgot that they were in a restaurant in full view of other patrons and staff.

"Your check, Sir?" said a rather snooty waiter. Latania pulled back suddenly, and Voight turned a crimson gaze on the offending staff. He paled and backed away while Voight slipped out his wallet and withdrew some bills to place in the leather folder. Latania was blotting her mouth with a napkin, and Voight did the same amusedly rubbing off her lipstick.

* * *

Jay swallowed a shot of tequila. He had finished a good 15 bottles and he still wasn't buzzed. Stupid military training. He just wanted to to die from humiliation. He slammed the glass on the marble counter.

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. He repeated in his head.

She had left, and Jay let her.

He'd made a mistake, and it had cost him his marriage.

The young man was so deep in his thought that not noticed the angry woman who walked into the bar

" Jay Marcus Halstead"Lataniab Monroe yelled in a terrifying voice causing everyone to tremble.

Jay turned at the sound of his name being called out in anger, causing him to turn pale as he recognized the voice instantly.

"Latania !" Jay stated out .

Everyone turned to watch him walking towards them. He decided to face the womab right here and now.

" What it is wrong with you?"

"It's...well...uh...nothing is going on." Jay blathered

"Uh-huh." Latania said doubtful. Jay just fidgeted with his now empty glass of whiskey unsure of what to say.

"Latania it's nice to see you!" Will commented trying to relieve the tension in the room. He walked over to Latania and hugged her.

"It's nice to see you too Will." She replied and hugged

"You two should talk in private" Gabriela told them. "I don't think you guys need to have this conversation in front of everyone. Jay why don't you and Latania go in the back and talk this out."

"Yeah...okay." he said as he walked over to her and Latania. He grabbed her and led her to the back room.

" You are a fucking moron. You have not right to hit a friend of mine. I didn't slept with him." Latania yelled from the other room.

The room fell silent as everyone in Molly's listened to the arguing coming from the back room.

"We got a divorce cause that's what you wanted, and now you're trying to tell me that you and Hank Voight are friends." Jay exclaimed "I can't believe this! I fucking tried to fix our marriage and you didn't let me."

" So your brother can be fucked by your co- member named Antony or Lanton or whatever but I cannot?"Latania shouted.

Both Antonio and Will looked a little pale. Theirs faces don't beat the jealously on Connor face from seeing and hearing about Will ex-boyfriend.

Antonio then spoke up."Ok Will and I have a lot of explaining to we did cause a lot of trouble but this was a LONG tie ago and the things Will named off the we "did" we didn't actually do. Also yes we did go out for maybe a year and a half, and the sex was GREAT let me tell yo-"

A glare from Connor made Antonio clear his that and continue .

"Mhm Anyway we broke up because we felt better as friends. SO that's all we will tell you about that unless Latania and Jay dont kill each other."

Everyone seemed sorta satisfied with the explanation and turns back to hearing Latania and Jay.

So you decided to leave, you just gave up because it was easier? Really?.Why do you feel the need to punish me for the rest of my life for one stupid mistake?"

not punishing you," I finally say in a cool voice, "I don't love you. I'm as sure of my feelings today as I was that night. I don't love you anymore; the cheating just made me really see things for what they really were. We are done"

"You don't mean that," he says, voice breaking.

"I do. I can't make me love you."

He looks incredibly hurt, "Why did you come here today then?"

" You hit Hank"Latania stormed back into the room and a moment later Jay followed.

His body tenses, stammering, " Hank"

Shit

Smouldering in anger, he back away from me, turning away as if the sight of her repulses him. This is going downhill fast and all she can do is stand here and watch it crash and burn around her. Jay grabs her by the arm roughly.

Jay's stomach twisted and his chest tightened. Was Latania trying to make him jealous? Did s he also have feelings for Hank Voight?

"How can you move on so quickly?" Jay screams in her face, completely incensed."You knew I loved you still and you moved on? How could you do that to me? How could you, Latania?"

"Easy," She spit coldly, "But I'm not about to justify anything to you because what I do is none of your concern. I'm a grown woman, we're finished, you cheated and I dumped you, I don't love you, I'm free to do and be with whoever I want, and contrary to popular beliefs, we're not destined to be…and the sooner you realise this, the better off you'll be."

Betrayal: a sweet word, easy on the lips, languid, almost fluid in speech. From the word, multitudes of emotions come; they bubble and fester with the slightest push of a reminder. People respond differently when they are betrayed. Some rage against the world, expressing their raw agony by lashing out. Others whimper and wilt. And a special few shatter.

'I missed you. A lot ,Latania''said Jay and he walked to side but the girl took a few steps away from him with effect the heart of Jay ,to crack a little. The eyes of Latania turn cold, and she turns accusing eyes towards Jay

''You think ,I'm that easy. You really fucking think, that after all this time you can just show up and this will make everything right!?"

"Maybe that is we will ever be an incomplete sentence . A half-written story finished without ending."Latania replied her eyes watering a bit as she walked towards the door and left.

* * *

**Please leave a comment and tell me if Latania should forgive him**


	7. Chapter 7

It's the day of class for her new students at the university she works at and she already has her lesson plan set out for the newbies on one side of his desk. Small gifts are piled in a box on the side of it specifically for them from the older ones returning to the university.

Her TA, Luke, comes in just before the new students and smiles at hee before sitting in his own desk in the corner with his own small chalkboard behind him. Three out of four of her walls are covered in near ceiling to floorboards for her to work on and jump between. The last wall has the door attached in it and regretfully can't hold a board so she has a giant bookshelf on it instead filled with math books or books she enjoys.

The last of her new class trickles in and Luke very overtly reminds her the big bouquet of of roses over her desk. She hears snickers around the room but just smiles knowingly at him and starts to introduce herself to the new kids.

She goes to the board behind her first with her chalk ready and tells them they can ask whatever questions they want and she'll write the answers on the board or out loud so they can get to know her. They ask her boring questions and follow her around the room as she moves from one board to the other. Someone finally asks her what all the gifts are for and Luke interrupts and says they're for her ex- husband because he`s trying to get her back.

Latania glared at the man before looks on her desk was the oddest bouquet of flowers she had ever seen in the middle of her desk. At the forefront of the bouquet was a Tiger Lily, there was also a couple of Gardenias, some Tulips and some other flowers she couldn't identify. She picked up the card.

It read,`One thing I've learned, that in the face of true love, you don't just give if the object of your affection is begging you to`

"Don't hit a desk Dr. Tania!" Luke says as she jumps again only to do just that when he mentions Jay.

"Aw, it's adorable how much of a love sick hottie you are. Can't even walk straight when he's mentioned."

"That's inappropriate Luke." She grumbles at him as she straightens herself.

"Inappropriate yet true nonetheless. Besides we're all adults here and it's not like I'm interested in you. I pity the boya that are though since you don`t want a man in your life anymore. Now sit down and let me take over. I have plans for the newbies." She frowns at him and scoots over as he bumps his hip with her own.

"Don't make me call your Sergeant" Luke begun and Latania wanted to hit her head over a wall.

The new gossip of the day was the relationship between her and the Sergeant from the Chicago Police Department and the current squad commander of the District 21 Intelligence. After their dinner -date?- two days ago , the man had passed a few times for the school for lunch or coffee and everyine have their own opinion about their meetings. Studies says that they were fucking into a class or theybwere making out in the parking lot.

"... so you may as well give up now because the other boya will be doing it too." She does as she's told and sits in her chair when he mentions Voight again.

Figures he's right and lets his get on with it knowing her other TAs will be doing the same just as he said they will. It's become tradition for her TAs to make fun of the new classes each new term and school them on she ways. He takes her chalk piece out of her hand and writes down her first name.

"Now, who can raise their hand and tell me what you think of or know about Miss. Monroe right now. Before you ask no anything you say won't be held against you for the rest of the year. Any rumors you've heard count too so don't be shy."

Most all of them raise their hands only to lower them when what they were going to say gets put up before they get called. The first thing that gets put up is that she's hot. Another says she's crazy about math. One mentions that he detests technology which Luke smiles at. That she's direct and always to the point. That she acts like an eighty year old man even though she's only thirty. That she's the youngest in her field. That she doesn't like chocolate. She never sits still.

Eventually Luke erases the columns and allows her to actually teach. She jumps around the room from board to board and glance behind her seeing most of them struggle to keep up. Some have already figured out the pattern she uses but it's an unspoken rule in her classroom that once you know it you don't tell anyone else. teaches an AP class for a reason and only wants the brightest minds so if you can't keep up on the first day then you probably shouldn't be in the class.

Luke echoes her thoughts out loud as he challenges them to figure it out for themselves and that once they do then it will be easy to follow along because the pattern doesn't change. He's right, she goes in the same direction for each new formula. The only changing aspect is his speed as it picks up just a bit more as more people catch on. She pauses for questions and answers them diligently. Watches as some people leave before the bell even rings.

Glances to Luke in her chair and sees his scratch their names off the roster when they leave and makes a new one basing it off of how fast he can tell they each keep up with her based on their expressions. It's something she's noticed that has been passed down from old TA to new one that he indulges a bit. She enjoys how they know how she likes to rank her class and likes to challenge the ones that are falling behind but stay because they want to improve. She always focuses on them first so they can catch up.

The bell rings for lunch eventually and she relishes in the silence as she eats a sandwich . Scrolls through Facebook to glance at Will or Connor or Jay pictures, only has the damn thing to keep in contact with them in the first place. She's not nearly as technologically inclined as Will or Connor are. They just got her into the Netflix not to long ago.

It's when she deviates from the Facebook and onto random math sites to challenge her brain that he gets caught up in one of them. The damn thing says it's impossible to figure out and Latania always loves a good challenge. So she rolls up his sleeves to above her forearms and gets to work. She doesn't hear the bell ring. Doesn't hear her next TA come in to greet her. All she can focus on is this stupid math problem. She's already filled up the board behind her desk while leaving plenty of room for the list that's been happening before the actual lesson for the day. She filled up the left board, known as board two, a few minutes ago and was now starting on the third one. Flickering back and forth to compare notes from one and two.

* * *

Eighteen gay couples, men and women, were murdered. Simply slaughtered by an unsub with a consistent MO. He stalked them for at least a couple days if not a week. He attacked at night, mainly while the couple was engaged in sexual activity. He tied the couple up and attacked their genitals before slowly torturing the 'submissive' so the 'dominant' could hear them scream. He would then cut a major artery on the 'dominant' and leave the two of them to bleed to death.

They whole team had agreed that the stressor had to have been when the law of same-sex unions was passed on the first of June.

Thirty-six people, tortured mentally and physically because someone thought that these people didn't deserve to be together, that they didn't deserve to live because of who they were attracted to.

The idea had made the wholes team's blood boil, which had added to the anger and aggravation they were already feeling. Who had the audacity to take someone's life into their own hands because they could now be united in a same-sex relationship legally? It was wrong and evil and distorted.

It was immoral.

Jay looked a the photos and the only thought he was that it was a hate crime.

"A hate crime (also known as a bias-motivated crime or bias crime) is a prejudice-motivated crime which occurs when a perpetrator targets a victim because of their membership (or perceived membership) in a certain social group or of such groups can include, and are almost exclusively limited to: sex, ethnicity, disability, language, nationality, physical appearance, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation. Non-cri.. "

" Oh my. I 'm becoming Latania" he breathes, voice getting lower as he hears footsteps approaching from the stairs.

Antonio Dawson

He couldn't believe that one of his colleagues had dared to touch his brother.

As a son and brother, Jay had always been protective over his family, most of all Will. No matter how much they fight, how much he'd scolded Will over responsibility and seeing things through, his first thought the very second he heard about an explosion at Med two years ago was 'fuck, I should have let him go to New York' despite how it was Will himself who chose to go in to work. They're brothers, and while they had both changed over the years they went separate ways before mom died, Jay's always thought he knew Will like he knew himself.

Well, apparently, people changes when you were not looking.

Will's changes had happened in New York and not his return to Chicago, not even Sudan. The picture she painted in one conversation during their first meeting—with Will's face burning red beside him—had been that one piece of the jigsaw that complete the portrait, connected all the dots together. And Jay now looked at Will with even more pride in his eyes than there already was. His little brother, Jay decided, was a better man than him most of the time.

Of course, there were also times like this, when he wondered if Will was retarded. Seriously, the blindspot when it came to men trying to get in his pants was like a crater Jay was sure the few boyfriends Will'd talked about must had either jumped his ass or got down on their knees and declared undying love to him. His brother was that obtuse.

A loud happy laugh echoing throughout the floor room cut hin off.

Latania laughed an erotic, ringing laughter, causing a ripple of pleasure to shoot through those present.

Jay looed toward Voight`s office what Jay saw from then on was a lot of flirt from Voight towards Jatanja and his little genius didn't seem to notice. Though Jay suspected that Voight had figured out Jay's annoyance with his using Latania as a body warmer since every once in a while the brunette would do a full stretch right next to Latania and Jay had to force a smile. Voight made sure that every part of him rubbed up against Latania. Jay wanted to throw Voight out window of his office and see if those good looks would seem so causal, warm and open as he fell down the side of the building. But Jay knew that if Latania was close enough to be calling this guy by his name, there was a good chance that Latania would be a little upset by Voight's untimely death. But really, who was this guy? Who came in looking so fresh off a runway but so humble about his good looks with his sunny point of view about everything?

''What do you think they are doing there? ''asked Mouse. The young man was shocked when he saw his best friend's ex wife to walk through the building without looking at Jay. Mouse loved Latania like a sister and friend ,the woman was the only one who could help him with depression and medication after his return from Afghanistan. Such a shame what Jay cheated on her with Erin.

Ruzek laughed"Wild sex"

Alvin smacked Ruzek`s upside the head and gave him a look.

Jay looked outright furious, and wanted to kill Voight.

"Don't tell me, if looks could kill Halstead would have skewered me by now." Voight squeezed Latania's hand gently.

"I lost him"

"Maybe there's another way to look at this." Voigjt suggested, shifting his leg so it crossed his lap at the ankle. "Getting this far, allowing yourself to realise you still love Halstead , that you are in fact capable of love, maybe it's like a practice run? All these feelings that you've been putting on hold your whole life, you've finally been able to face them. That's a huge achievement." Voight shrugged sagely: "Next time the opportunity for love comes along, whether it be with Halstead or someone else, you'll be ready."

"What if there is no 'next time'?" Latania argued. "What if this was my one chance at happiness and I ruined it?

"Dr Monroe, I hardly have to explain to a world-class anthropologist how the myth that there is only one person that we can each be happy with was created to serve the needs of communities rather than individuals." Voight prompted.

Latania sighed. "Monogamy and marriage originated in agrarian societies where it was desirous for men to track and control women's offspring to ensure that their land and property was inherited only by their children."

"Exactly. And in modern societies, monogamous relationships are not about some archaic notion of 'fate' or 'soulmates' but are a conscious choice: an expression of trust and intimacy." Voight gave a half-smile.

Latania's brow furrowed as it did when she encountered something that was in danger of changing her mind. "You and I have trust and intimacy."

The two of them were standing quietly it was Voight that broke the silence. " And for that Latania that just want to thank you for everything you have done. You make going through this case and this period of my life much easier." He chuckled a little, "And you make my life more lighter with your sarcasm and your smartness"

"Hank no thanks necessary, as we have talked about before you are helping me through a similar difficult time. And you are keeping well meaning prying friends at bay."

"Latania, lele do something fun tonight." She furrowed her brow. "Wait, hear me out. Go out for a drink. We go out to dinner so we don't have to eat alone and so we don't have to face our empty homes alone for to long at any time. So I was thinking, lets go dancing, I know I am not ready to go home to that void where I sleep."

She studied him for a moment, "Hank, I don't want you to get the wrong impression. We are friends; there can never be more if that is where you were thinking this would go."

"Latania, while I can honestly say I love you. I love you as a friend, more like a sister and I am not asking anything of you but to come and have some fun with your pseudo partner. Besides

I'd like to keep fanning our resident detective Halstead`s jealousy."

Latania was stunned for a moment before she let out a hearty chuckle and wrapped her arms around Voight. Out the corner of her eye he watched a subtly irate looking Jay broke his pen in two pieces.

" Hank you are evil." Latania whispered to her good friend.

After a long time, the doctor left the police station with the predetermined hospital where her ex-brother-in-law works but a female voice stopped her.

''Dr. Monroe''

The young doctor knew this voice.

''Dr. Monore.''

''What''The doctor snapped at Erin whice she made a step back from the angry woman.'

"We need to talk"

"Yeah, I know"

"Listen, I've known Jay for awhile now, and I will admit have feelings for him. I know that he loves you and all I can do is let him be happy. "

She may be in love with her partner, but he can't deny that he and Latania were made for each other.

Latania acted as if she hadn't heard Erin,"Bastard. Stole my first kiss, stole my first time, and stole everything from me.I may not be the most sociable person on the planet and I have zero people skills, but I am wonderful, smart, and beautiful. I sure as hell am not going to let some jerk try to break me just because he can. I deserve better, and damned me if I don't beat the shit out of the unlucky son of a bitch who does. I know you're in love with him. I'd have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to notice that. You can have him''

Erin stood there, listening.

''I dont want him. I made a mistake. Love is being in a crowden room and seeing nobody but you which that's exactly what Jay does ,I thought I could make him love me but you don't because every time I look into my eyes I see you. He lost you once, and the pain was excruciating and sheeing you with Voight it is killing him inside''

Erin was panting now. It was obvious that she had gotten a lot off her chest. Latania smiled; it started out small, and then grew across her face.

Another silence dropped around and Erin made a question that every man or woman made it to her. ''You still love him?''

Without pause or hesitation, the woman replied.''.''Of course I love him. You don't give people you don't love the power to destroy you''

* * *

Latania was downing her drink impressively for a woman. She kept ordering drinks after drinks and that didn't go unnoticed by a pair of brown eyes who had been observing her or the past couple of hours. They have been passed five hours after the the talk with Erin, she did not told to no one about that. So she decided to have her pity party.

The problem was not only the rich asshole but Erin`s words.

"Damn her," Latania curses as she takes he shot down and then leans back in the booth and closes her eyes for a few seconds, her mind replaying the events leading up to this moment.

_" He loves you"_

"Damn her" she curses again, not realizing she wasn't alone.

"Damn who?" A familiar voice is heard, prompting to look up offer a small frown to her ex husband andmember of Sergeant Hank Voight's CPD Intelligence Unit , Jay Halstead, as he pushes himself into the booth bench opposite him. Latania looks around and then back at Jay with a wondering glance. "What? A guy can't have a beer? So who are we damning?" Jay pushes.

" Your blondie "," said Latania gleefully.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"You didn't mean to?" She laughed, looking incredulously at him.

"Yes. I didn't mean to. I never wanted to do it." Jay told her.

"You cheated on me, Jay and if you really didn't mean to, you never would have done it. I'm not good at understanding other people's emotions and most of the time I don't know when someone is joking and when not but that doesn't make me stupid, Jay. I can see it in your eyes, that you meant to sleep with her. It wasn't the first time you did it but you never thought that I would find out about it, hm?" Latania said and Jay let out the breath he had been holding, looking apologizing at his ex, confirming everything Latania just said.

Latania disapprovingly shook her head and took a deep breath, forcing her emotions down.

FLASHBACK

_Latania Monroe and Jay Halstead stood in front of the door of Halstead's house because Jay had decided that the right time had come to meet his parents with the resuts Lataiato scare and not to know what to do. Latania had taken one of her friens with her shopping for deciding what to do buther friend Instead of helping her,she laugh with her situation._

_''How am I''She asked as she looked at her clothes. She had decided to wear a green short dress with black shoes and Jay's black leather jacket without very much make up and for her hair had made them curls._

_''You look beautiful and Latania, you are going to be fine,''said Jay in an attempt to calm her down and with great success but the anxiety turned it back when the door opens to reveal the big brother of Jay._

_William Halsteaf was the older brother of the Halstead's brothers with sharp cheekbones, green eyes and red hair ,from Jay she had heard that he was the most disgraceful child of the two and said he would become very good friends._

_"Ah, I see your girlfriend has finally decided that he was brave enough to provide us with his presence," Will says with a little smirk, looking over the jittery girl._

_Latania held the hand of Jay and trying to calm her heartbeat ,she was not afraid of them but she wanted to be all perfect in her first meet with the parents of Jay and this was the reason he spent the afternoon to choose clothes, shoes, hair and make up._

_Jay glares at Will while Latania ignores Will's comment and looks around the house._

_"Wow, I know I have been here before but, usually, I'm too distracted by a handsome face and gorgeous body to look and see how pretty this house is," Latanja says, letting go of Jay's hand and walking around._

_Will smirks at Jay, who is blushing profoundly, before he looks at Latania. "Hm, you were distracted by a body?" Will asks her._

_"Yeah, you know. Jay's naked glory kind of distracts me from everything else,"Latania says, not looking back at Will or Jay._

_Will raises his eyebrows at Jay and genuinely smiles a little._

_"Tia!" Jay hisses at his girlfriend. Latania's head shoots at Hay, confused, until she realizes what she had just said._

_"Oh, forget that I said that. Psh, I just totally make up stories of Jay having sex with me, because that totally never has happened," She says, winking at Jay._

END FLASHBACK

and Jay came to his senses and shut his mouth quickly.

They both felt strongly for the other, felt a connection between them that only strengthened through the time apart. And then there was the passion neither could deny. Jay had longed to touch Latania, to be close to him, to share with her the love and affection, that burning desire that always flowed through his veins when he was near him. But he had not given in to this desire, and neither had Latania. Passion was a good way to heal a broken heart, but this healing would not last. Only when they both wanted to heal the mind, to be friends and partners in arms again, could they also be lovers again. And if he was completely honest with himself, Jay had to acknowledge that he had not been ready to be intimate with someone.

Latania and Jay regarded each other in silence. For both, the flood of memories which seeing the other brought was painful.

" What happened to us?"

" I dont know" Jay muttered under his breath.

''How did we let this get that far because I don't even know right now who we are''

''We were happy and wanted to spend the rest of our lives together..Every time I go on a secret mission I wished it was me and you, tipsy at some backwoods motel in the middle of nowhere, where no one knows us, where I could kiss you and it would just be between us."

Latanja's heart shattered all over again because even with this revelation, even with the knowledge that Jay still cared for hee, the root of the problem was still there. He cheated on her

"Jay-"

"Please, just let me finish." Jay pleaded. "Please?"

''You want to say sor-..''' Latania says as hier eyes tracks Jay's.

"No, Latania, that's not what I wanted to say."

Jay's still frowning. Jay is sitting right next to Latania, nothing separating them, and she's still frowning. She wants to move, wants to leave. But she'll let Jay call the shots.

"Okay, Jay. What is it?"

Jay's still frowning at her. He's been frowning at her. Since that night, maybe.

"I still love you."

Latania's face falls.

"I…"

"Please… don't be in love with someone else."

Jay's voice is soft, and Latania almost wishes she were yelling.

No.

Jay gets up, before Latania can even speak, and he's so far now, which is worse, because Latania wants to be next to him, so close their elbows bump, like it was months ago when Jay knew exactly what he was doing.

Lataniastands up, so fast his head spins, and looks right at Jay. Latania wants to let him leave, let Jay go, but Jay hasn't smiled since that night, and that's Latania's fault.

"Wait" Latania says.

Jay turns to look at her. He's still not smiling. He hasn't smiled in months.

Latania doesn't know what to do.

At least Jay's not leaving.

Jay's not leaving, and Latania feels something like hope.

"Stay," Latania says, and she's frowning and so is Jay, and Latania's expecting Jay to walk away.

She isn't expecting what happens next.

Jay kisses her and he knows exactly what he's doing.

* * *

The giggle that preluded Latania's entrance into the house of Jay.

He'd never heard her make a sound like that, and he half expected her to come through with someone else in tow, someone who could make her laugh in such abandon that it made his heart hurt. Jay nearly jumped out of his skin because after their divorce

"Jaaaayyyy?" She sing-singed as and clumsily slid the deadbolt back into position. Her high heels came off next, and she had to catch herself on the door handle to keep from falling on set the key and coat down in favor of immediately moving to her side, holding her face between his hands, watching how her eyes were glazed and her face was-for once-entirely free of any of her normal control. She smiled and traced her fingers down the planes of his face before snaking them in his long, black hair and tugging him down to kiss her. He let out a muffled groan of surprise, allowing her entrance to his mouth as she deepened the kiss. He couldn't once remember them coming together like this. She was always so well versed at keeping her strength, so in control of herself.

Soon their tongues touch and as they explore each other's mouths, the taste of popcorn adds a delicious reminder of where they are. The smell of whiskey is still in the air and Jay feels his senses overwhelmed with all kinds of emotions. Eagerness, passion, pleasure, arousal, happiness... he can feel all that in that moment and he knows it's something he will always remember.

Jay had felt like he could let go of everything, let himself be free with the woman. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt like that.

Once they're inside, she kisses him and steers him towards her bedroom. There's no need for the pretense of coffee or wine; they both know why he's here. They don't bother to turn on the lights. It's easy to maneuver to the bed without knocking into any of the furniture. He's nervous, like a schoolboy, and she's reminded of the first time she had sex with Rick Beckett. Of course this isn't his first time, or even their first time together. He always looks adolescently awkward. She leans over and kisses him, and she's surprised by his reaction, the abruptness with which he holds her face in his hands and kisses her back.

His hands are large, with long, thin fingers. She's impressed by their dexterity as he runs them over her body. He's tall, but very thin, and the weight of his body on hers is significantly less than a of a typical adult male. Usually she prefers men with greater muscle mass, but she finds herself extremely attracted to him. This is partially due to his considerable intellect. But she finds his hands particularly erotic. She watches his hands hold a fork at dinner or push his hair back, and she feels an incredible rush.

He moves his hands down her body slowly, sliding them under her dress and pulling off her panties. She's already shaking with anticipation when he kneels between her legs and runs his tongue over her wet folds. Her hands move to back of his head as her hips rise up to meet his mouth. She moans when he slides one long finger inside her, then a second. His movements are so precise, careful and studied. Her gasps grow faster and more frenzied, and her hands grip his shaggy brown hair as waves of pleasure radiate up her body.

As she catches her breath, he crawls towards her trailing kisses on her thighs and torso. She runs her hands over his body, then moves them down to untuck his shirt. He raises his hips, and she slides her hands to the front of his pants to unfasten his pants. She pulls them down, and he kicks them off, then sits up to take off his socks. She kneels beside him and loosens his tie, then slowly unbuttons his shirt. When they're both naked, she pulls him down on top of her with her legs wrapped around his waist. He presses his erection against her, and she reaches down and runs her hand along it.

"Th-That feels amazing," he stammers.

She smiles; she finds his nervousness attractive. She rolls him onto his back, then sinks down around him. He lets out a groan, and his hands grip her hips. She rocks back and forth as he thrusts up and down, their bodies moving in perfect synchronicity. They're both breathing hard, and it doesn't take long for them both to clima


	8. Chapter 8

Connor snaked an arm around his waist as Will moved to get up. "Don't leave," he whispered into his shoulder, one hand sneaking up under his shirt to place a cold hand against Wills warm stomach.

"Will" he sighed as he sunk back against the bed - against Connor's smaller framed. " Latania wants to talk. I have go." Even as he said this, he wanted nothing more than to wrap Connor up in his arms and fall back asleep.

"Call Latania back and tell her you're busy," he pressed several kisses to the base of Will's neck and jawline before adding, "you are a bit warm."

"I'm her brother which means I can't call her back telling her I am busy unless I'm actually busy" he said as he twisted around on the bed to face Connor. "Besides, I already told her I was coming in so it would be questionable if I called her back and told her I was busy." Will smiled at him in the growing light, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips before pulling away.

"Tell Latania she owes me," Connor mumbled as he released Will, ducking underneath the covers.

"I love you."

* * *

Chicago was a place for rumors of the vile and nasty. They said the people couldn't be trusted there and even their coffee is questionable. But here she was, enjoying the caffeine that she has been told not to drink. The cafe she had entered was a random choice. Well, that was the only choice because of the storm's downpour. She had been walking back to her house and she had forgotten to bring her umbrella. She had already been drenched before she found the cafe. It was shelter but it was more. It was warmth. The waitress had smiled and offered a clean towel. Coffee had been poured into her cup without question. The dark streets are not what they seemed, she concluded.

She pulled out her phone to check for missed calls and messages. None. She checked if some of her things got wet as well. Fortunately, everyone turned out to be safe and dry in her hand bag. Then she pulled out the plane tickets and placed them on the left side of the table. She stared at it. Then she looked at the dark liquid in her cup.

The rain continued to pour hard. More people came in for the shelter. She smiled. It seemed she was not the only one who forgot to bring an umbrella. The rain had caught them unprepared as refugees fleeing from the war. This time though, she was one of them. Instead of fighting off the storm she was safe and warm. She was content to wait for the sun, even if it would take forever.

The door opened once more for one last refugee.

The water dripped from his coat. Somehow it was odd seeing him unprepared for the storm as well.

Will hesitated before deciding to sit across from her. She held her cup to keep the coffee from spilling as the table shook a little as he squeezed himself to his seat. A waitress offered a towel, he took it kindly. As he tried to dry himself, he uttered first.

" You own Mike a huge favor"

He made sure she saw his smile when she finally looked at him. Her eyes were always just looking back at his. It was their greeting. He liked how she'd reveal a small smile.

" I slept with Jay last night"Latania whispers, her voice trembling with the effort.

There was silence from his end. He looked down at the table, probably thinking his next set of words. It was the first time she was able to observe him for a relatively long time. The lines on his forehead showed that his brows furrow a lot due to over thinking. His stubble told her he has kept himself busy and wasn't able to take a good look at himself. The gray on the sides of his head showed that he had never cared to hide how old he really is. His callous fingers always seemed to be on the verge of clenching which showed her about his mysterious rancor. His eyes, so focused and so intense, gave away his intelligence and perseverance.

" You forgave him.."

"Forgive and forget?. I'm not Jesus nor do I have alzheimer's. How about fuck off and die?''"Latania mumbled as she nodded her head.

His small smile disappeared. It was replaced a flat line. With his palm, he straightened a stray clump of hair on his head. His eyes were serious.

" Think you can answer some questions without your usual level of sarcasm?"Will continued.

Latania considered it and nodded partially, deciding what to answer, " If you ask the questions without the usual level of stupid."

"Do you love him?" The question took Latania by surprise, and for a while she did not know what to say.

"What?"

"It's a simple enough question. Do you love Jay Halstead?" Will repeated himself, staring straight into Latania's soul as he did so. She swallowed thickly as she motioned for the barwoman to refill her glass.

"I care about him deeply," was all Latania said in return. Will raised a perfectly trimmed eyebrow at that reply. Latania merely let out an irritated groan. "There's no difference, Will."

"I beg to differ."

"How is that different? Just because I don't say that I love him doesn't mean I don't."

Wil rolled hia eyes at that statement. He downed the remaining of his coffee before ordering something stronger, on Latania's tab of course. Asshe waited for his drink, he fidgeted on his stool so he was facing his sister properly. Latania hated how easily his stares unnerved her. Damn you, Will.

"Loving someone is different than caring about someone, Latania. No matter how deeply you care. There's different types of love. A parent's love for their child, brotherly love, platonic love, romantic love. Latania, I care about you, too. Doesn't mean I love you romantically."

Latania refused to look at Will while he spoke, stubbornly holding onto the thought that caring deeply about someone and loving them was one and the same thing. However, for the sake of argument, she decided to indulge her friend.

"Well, if you're such an expert, why don't you enlighten me. What's the difference?"

Will thanked the barwoman when hia drink was placed in front of him, and took a sip of his beer as she pondered hus next words. Meanwhile, Latania discreetly checked her phone again, hoping that Jay had texted her an apology. Or anything at all, really. Not hearing from him was killing Latania. She was not used to being ignored.

"I could just give you the answer right here, but what would the fun be in that?"

"William, I don't have time for these juvenile games," Latania admonished him, but the red-head merely winked at her.

"You've been used to getting everything handed to you on a silver platter, Latania. I think it's time you work for what your heart really desires. Thanks for the drinks. I'll see you on Monday."

Latania did not try to stop him, but neither did she acknowledge his as he left. She checked her phone once again, and ignored the disappointment she felt when she did not see a message from Jay.

* * *

" You supposed to teach me how to fight" said Latania caughting Voight looking dreamily straight at Antonio who was talking to a boy. The woman kicked Voight at his foot.

"What?" He looked at her in an annoyed expression.

"Stop staring! You will be noticed." She whispered shout. She saw Antonio looking at her like 'Huh!?' She smiled at the man and looked forward to Voight in a weir face.

"Fine" He replied."I'm going to go over what you learned as an initiate and expand on that. How to defend yourself if I were to say to attack you when you have nothing, or a fractionless."

"If you were to attack me I would try to stay out of reach. You have a more upper body strength than I do." Latania said giving Voight a look.

"What else?" Voight said motioning for Latania to continue as he headed to the ring, and removed his boots, Latania following him as she thought.

"Your center of gravity is different, higher than mine so I could use it against you, and if I really wanted to I could go for your piercings, that is if I can get close." Latania said before tilting her head to the side before winding her hair and put it into a bun.

"Good. Remove the temptation of me using your hair against you. I would have to watch for how fast you are. Your center of gravity would only work if you were able to flip me onto my back, which at this point I'm going to say is unlikely. Your build is small, or rather slim, helping your speed rather than hindering it." Voight said as he and Latania started to circle each other in the ring. Latania noted on how Voight crossed one foot over the other as he circled her rather than step to the side like she had been taught, as well as how Voight held himself at ease, rather than taunt like other people she had fought. One of them needed to strike first so Latania pretended to be lost in thought to see what Voigh would do, and she wasn't disappointed when he came towards her. Watching how he moved she brought her arm up to block his first hit and forced the second down before aiming a jab at his ribs making him grunt in surprise, his body moving too quickly for her to process until her arm was twisted behind her back, his other arm around her neck.

"Interesting tactic but I wouldn't use it often. I easily was able to get you into this hold after your went to block and hit. Always be ready to protect with one hand and strike with the other." Voight said as he let Latania go, letting her spin slightly before she caught herself and moved to the side, sidestepping an attack on her back, her strike aiming for Voight's shoulder, only to stumble as he used both hands to knock her off balance and onto the mat.

"Better" Voight said earning a scowl from Latania.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" She said as she pushed herself up onto her feet and flexed her hands.

"Yes I am. I'm not actually aiming to harm you like I will later, this is to see how much I'll have to teach you and how quickly you pick things up." Voight said stepping around the mat again Latania coping his moments this time, much to his amusement.

"It would help if you weren't a brick wall" She said dryly flexing her hands again before shaking them slowly making him chuckle. Voight faked to the left and watched as Latania moved to counter him, before he shifted at the last second, Latania ducking under his arm and used Voight's momentum to twist his arm behind his back and force him down onto the mat on his knees but couldn't keep him there, not that it would matter when Voight jerked his twisted shoulder forward causing Latania to hit his back hard and hiss as his shoulder hit her ribs. Jabbing with her elbow at the back of Voight's head she slipped out of his grasp and got to her feet out of range as Voight shook his head and got to his feet studying her.

"Smart. Any blow to the back of the head or the temple will disorient your opponent leaving them dizzy or seeing two. But hit hard. To light and the hit will only piss them off further." Voight said moving around the ring again Tris following in the other direction.

"You are still built like a brick wall" Latania resorted as she moved.

"I train hard. Train hard enough and it's going to come easy." Voight said before moving towards Latania, her turning put him in a harder position to get her down again but he liked that she wasn't going to back down. She was thinking through what both of them were doing, something he liked. Hitting the ground on his back he grunted before looking at Tris who was sitting on his chest her feet by his waist as they fought, Latania to pin Voight and Voight to get up without hurting her too badly. He really didn't want to put her into the infirmary on their first fight. Bucking his hips he was pleased when she fell forward giving him a clear shot at her stomach when he felt her knee in his own, her other leg shifting to hold one of his arms, her balance over him aimed at keeping him in pain. He had to give her credit, he couldn't move without hurting himself at the moment something it took most a while to learn. Jerking his one arm free he wrapped it around her neck bringing her closer to him hoping to throw her off.

"Of no you don't." Latania muttered as he dug her knee into his stomach and ribs before she hit him enough to knock the wind out of him temporarily. When Voight stopped fighting Latania eyed him wondering if it was a trick or not. When she noticed he was trying to catch his breath she didn't ease up just yet.

"You win this one. Not bad for a starting fight." Voight said his eyes closed and Latania felt him relax under her before she rolled off and rest on her knees.

The two of them spent a lot of time at Antonio`s gym while no one them has work to do. They'd been at it for a while, long enough that Latania had stripped down to just her tank and Voight had ditched his shirt. He moved with a deceptive gait, seemingly relaxed and not even intending to strike, but she'd learned quickly that he can go from near stillness to the speed of lightning before she could blink.

"What the Hell is going on here?!"

Her ex-husband's voice startled her enough that she almost missed Voight's downward strike. With the number of hits he had aimed at her stomach she was getting sore, and so when she saw his knee jerk she moved her hands to block not expecting him to use his fist to hit her chest knocking the wind from her and making her fall back a couple steps. Voight held himself at the ready and Latania smirked as they circled each other again each of them not wanting to submit. Darting forward Latania backed Voight towards the ring before using it to throw him off balance and pin him.

Voight stepped back, light on his feet, and looked towards the open door" We are training"

Jay started to ask why they were training when he realized what Latania was wearing. Or rather, what Latania wasn't wearing. Like Voight, she was shirtless and the shorts she had on were formfitting. Too formfitting for public, in his opinion. With the tousled hair and sheen of sweat, Latania looked like she'd just been fucked hard. With a growl he grabbed a shirt off a crate and tried to pull it over Latania's head.

The woman flinched and tried to shove it off, but Jay held tight. "What the hell?! I'm sweaty!"

"I know," he snapped. "Stop wiggling!"

Latania glared at him before suddenly zipping away. "What is your problem?"

"My problem is that my girlfriend is almost fucking naked with some other guy," he bit out, stomping toward him and shoving the shirt toward Latania again. "Put it on!"

Latania's jaw dropped and her eyes bugged out. "Your… I'm… wha… are you serious?!"

Jay's jaw was clenched so hard, he might have to visit the med-bay to pry it open. He held up the shirt and narrowed his eyes. Latania's head dropped forward and she pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes for several seconds. When she looked back up Jay knew he was in for a fight.

"One," Latania ground out, "I am not your girlfriend. Two, we're sparring. I'm not putting on a shirt to spar in! Three, even if I was your girlfriend, you still wouldn't have the right to order me around."

"Um, maybe I should leave," Voight suggested warily.

"Yes," Jay snapped.

"No," Latania argued.

Voight looked back and forth between them before quickly leaving the gyn . Jay looked back at Latania and tried to calm himself. Yelling at Latania never solved anything. Usually it just made her more stubborn.

"You're right," he said stiffly. "I don't have the right to order you around," he conceded. "And maybe you aren't ready for labels, yet, but you can't deny that we're something, Latania. Not after last night."

Latania gave a rough laugh. "Last night was intense, I'll give you that. Sex with you always was. But that's all it was. In a little while I'll be back in Chicago and you'll be here. What? Did you think an orgasm was going to mysteriously fix everything? It doesn't work like that!"

"I know that!" Jay growled. "I know nothing is fixed! But god dammit, Latania, it could be! We can have this! Have us again! But you have to open up to me! I know I screwed up! I can't take that back. But please don't walk away from this," he begged. "Please just… just try."

Several emotions flickered through Latania's eyes. Fear, uncertainty, anger, hope. That last one was encouraging. After several seconds Latania's shoulders slumped and she let out a long sigh. "I can't risk more pain," she whispered. "You have no idea how… broken I've been, Jay""

" Latrania, I swear…"

"No!" Latania interrupted fiercely. "No promises! I won't believe them, so don't waste your breath. You've lied to me too many times." Latania sighed and ran heehand through her hair. "There's too much that's happened. I don't know that we can be fixed. It went wrong so easily, so fast. One minute we were good and the next, you gave up."

Jay cringed, unable to argue that point.


	9. Chapter 9

Voight gripped the pale slack hand tightly in his own, blood red right hand, knowing that Jay couldn't tell he was there, he was so far gone at this point. No, Hank clutched Jay's hand for himself. With the other, he squeezed the bag, shoving another lungful of air into Jay's chest.

The back of the ambulance was loud. The machine hooked to Jay's chest was screaming out into the box, echoing off the four walls of the truck and pounding into Voight's ears. The medic was leaning over Jay, but Voight wasn't paying her any attention, he wouldn't understand even if he was.

Instead he kept running his eyes up and down Jay's body. He only had one boot on, the other must have been pulled off in the chaos, it could be anywhere between here and there and for some reason, that really bothered him.

His left pant leg had been ripped open all the way up. It had made it easier for the medics to throw gauze pads on the stab wound that rested right in the muscle of his thigh. Voight could still hear the tight yell that had escaped his lips when the knife had slowly and agonizingly tore through his muscles just to be ripped out again.

Blood looked to have soaked through the pant legs, and Voight couldn't tell what injury it was from, as he continued to bring his eyes upwards.

His shirt had been ripped open as well. There was a strip of gauze running across his abdomen, already soaking through with blood. The medic had added bandages to the knife wound that had ripped across his torso. A couple of times.

It had bled a lot before the team had come to their rescue. Jay had screamed while the incision had been made. He had been so tired and weary by that point. Voight had begged them to kill himself, to leave Jay out of it at that point but they didn't listen to him.

Voights eyes lingered for a moment on the padding that covered the gunshot wound that sat dangerously close to Jay's heart. The medic had reassured him that the bullet had missed the heart but still ran the risk of puncturing something important as the bullet was still in him somewhere.

Jay hadn't been conscious when they shot him. His head had rested against his chest, as it rose and fell raggedly with each breath he took. He had been in so much pain but refused to give in to their captors demands. When they yanked his head off his chest by his hair, he had only stirred. They had placed the muzzle of the gun against Jay's chest and had looked over at Hank, smiling.

When the gun had gone off, Hank had looked straight at Jay and had been terrified that he had just watched his detective be murdered right in front of him. They had threw his head back on his chest and aimed the gun at Hank, and Hank couldn't move. His lungs gripped tightly in his chest, and his own heart had stopped.

A gun had gone off, but Hank didn't feel any pain, and he watched in satisfaction as the man's blood had spewed out of his mouth. Dropping to his knees. He raised the gun again, aiming at Hank, but another shot echoed and Alvin entered the room, his gun held out in front of him. The man fell limply to the ground and Hank had never been more pleased to see someone dead.

Hank brought his eyes further up and looked at Jay's face, his eyes were still closed - they had never reopened. His skin was almost translucent. Any of the blood dedicated to giving Jay any sort of color had been drained and instead Voight could almost mistake Jay for a corpse. His lips were blue, parted enough for the tube that had snaked it's way down his lips and throat and did most of the body's heavy work for him. The left side of his head was coated in a dried layer of blood, having occurred when they'd been taken. He'd taken a few hits from the butt of a gun to his temple and it had knocked him out cold.

Voight could still feel the crusty blood on his own brow, he hadn't made it much longer than Jay.

Voight clenched his fist again, sending more air shooting into Jay's lungs, as he thought back to how unscathed he had made it out of the whole ordeal compared to Jay. In his time on the force and throughout his entire life, he had seen a lot of things and more times than not, it was never fair.

But it always seemed menial when it had happened to others. Now that he was staring it right in the face, it sent his blood running cold through his veins, and his stomach sat in his throat.

Nothing about it had made sense. It was senseless and Jay just happened to be unfortunate enough to be the recipient. If Voight was honest, he wasn't really surprised, unfortunate happenings could have been and should have been Jays middle name.

Voight glanced at the medic as she placed another bandage on Jays abdomen before watching his vitals for a few moments and then looking up at Voight, a serious expression on her face.

"You don't have to tell me how bad it is, I think I get the idea." Voight muttered, any attempts to make light of the situation sat heavy on his tongue.

The truck came to an abrupt halt, and Voight clenched down on the bag shoving a premature breath into Jays lungs as his hand flung from Jays and grabbed the side of the truck, steadying himself.

The medic was at Jay's feet in seconds, as the doors flung open, a doctor that Voight had seen in passing on multiple occasions as well as a few nurses on the other side of the doors.

The stretcher was pulled from the ambulance by the group and lowered to the ground carefully. Voight felt the bag grabbed from his hands as he watched the doctors begin to walk off without him. He jogged to catch up, his eyes not on Jay anymore, but rather his surroundings.

Will is leaning on the counter talking to April when the doors swing open, and there are shouts of orders and the patient's stats.

"Male, twenty-nine years old, the car crashed and fell into the water, approximately under water for three and half minutes. Pulse is weak and crashing, head trauma and multiple broken bones!" the paramedic calls as they rush him into the room.

Will can't see the man's face as he's got surrounded by doctors.

Will goes to walk in but is pushed back by Connor, who had been the first to run over when the man was wheeled inside on the gurney.

"Will, please…You can't be in here" Connor apologises.

Will frowns, not understanding what was going on but before he can ask, a nurse moves out of the way of the patient, and Will catches sight of the patients face and his blood runs cold. It's his baby brother Jay laying on the bed.

Will pushes Connor, trying to get past him to his brother's side but he is held back by security. He can hear someone shouting distantly not realising he's the one shouting as he fights against security.

"JAY! LET GO OF ME! HE NEEDS ME! I CAN HELP GODDAMN IT JUST LET ME GO!" Will screams as he's led away by the security so the doctors could do their job.

The last thing he hears before he's led out is Nat yelling "He's crashing!".

Nat looks at Connor with wide eyes. She knows that if they don't save the man whose heart is collapsing on the bed, then their co-worker would never forgive them.

April continues compression's on his chest before Connor instructs her to stop, he glances at the heart monitor and swears softly.

"No pulse" he stated as April yells for a crash cart.

The team all run inside the hospital and look around for any news on Jay; they can hear someone screaming and shouting from somewhere close.

Maggie walks over to them, sighing.

"He's in with Connor, and they're doing the best they can, now I know it's a hard time but can you please try and get Will to calm down" She pleads.

She leads them into a room where they see Will handcuffed to a railing, tears streaming down his face as he tugs on the cuffs. Antonio quickly walks over, and Will stops tugging at the handcuffs as he approaches.

"What happened?" Will's face was twisted in sorrow, like he didn't have the energy to worry about what his face looked like.

Hank shook his head, "We were taken, and they got him good."

Wills face blanched. "Taken? When?"

"I don't-"

Sirens erupted from behind him and Will spun again, turning to face the chaos. It took them a moment but the entire room seemed to move at once towards the door, pushing the bed out the doorway and towards the elevators.

Voight could feel his heart hammering in his chest, almost like someone was sitting on top of him doing compressions, like they were Jay. Shoving their fists hard into Jay chest, trying to correct his heart rate. Will was frozen, still staring into the room that had just as quickly been abandoned as it had been filled.

Hank heard the elevator doors slide shut and looked up too late.

Too late for one last glimpse at his detective and he was rushed deeper into the hospital.

* * *

Voight takes a seat in the waiting room. He sighs as he picks up his phone. He doesn't want to do this, but he has to. Latania is not going to be happy.

"Hi, Tania." Voight says once Latania picks up.

"Hank?" Latania asks. "What's going on? Don't tell me you have to reschedule our dinner on Tuesday night? Come on, Hank! I finally got us a table at Eleven Madison Park. ."

"No, dinner next Tuesday is fine."

"Then what is it?"

"Tania, it's Halstead." Latania doesn't say anything at first. All Voight can hear is the sound of Latania's harsh breathing. "Latania, you there?"

"What happened, Hank? Is he okay? What the hell happened? I thought you guys didn't have any pen cases right now."

Voight can hear in her voice how worked up Latania is getting. She's going to work herself up in a tailspin before she even gets the full story.

"Tania, slow down."

"Don't tell me to slow down," Latania hisses. "You call me at nearly nine o'clock at night to tell me that something happened to Halstead. So what happened? When I last spoke to him, it was after your case with a crazy man which he kills cops…." trails off. Voight knows Latania too well. She's piecing things together.

"Wait, don't even tell me his has something to do with him."

Voight sighs. He was right. She pieced it together before he even told him. "We were taken."

"Is Jay okay?"

"He was unconscious when emergency personnel got to the scene. He's at Med now."

"And you?" Latania bites out.

"Got some bumps and bruises. I'll be okay."

"I'll meet you down at Med," Hank says.

Latania ran into the emergency room, out of breath, her hands shaking, sweat making her shirt stick to her back. She looked around, panicked, trying to find a familiar face. Hank was the first to see him, and the sight of his bloody shirt made Latania freeze.

It was Jay's. It was Jay's blood on Voight' shirt.

She reached for the wall closer to her, looking for some sort of support. Then Voight was there, holding her up with a pained expression. Latania felt bile coming up in the back of hee throat at the sight up close, and soon Erin was coming up to her too, pulling Voight away and telling him to go change.

Latania's vision swam, and she held on to Erin's forearms for dear life. Erin helped the other woman as she slid down the wall, sitting on the floor with short breaths. She knew Erin was saying something, but she couldn't hear anything past her struggling breath. Latania lungs refused to fill, and soon she started hyperventilating.

Suddenly Will was there, too, crouching beside hwe with a plastic cup in hand. He offered it to hee with slightly shaky hands, and she took it with nimble fingers, swallowing in two big gulps. Will said something, but she couldn't hear him either due to the loud ringing in her ears.

Latania let her head fall back onto the wall and stared at the ceiling, panting slightly.

Jay was hurt. Jay was really hurt.

"Latania," Will's voice finally penetrated the fog in her mind.

"Where's Jay?," she asked, her voice hoarse, hee throat feeling dry. Thankfully, Erin materialized with another glass of water.

"They took him to get an MRI scan," Will said in a soft voice. "He should be out soon, okay?"

"How about we try getting you off the floor?," Erin offered with a sympathetic look.

With Will and Erin's help, Latania got up and went to seat in a chair instead. Voight returned a moment later, looking deadly guilty, but thankfully with a new shirt. He tried to approach Latania again, but Erin suggested he give her some time.

Latania wanted to know what had happened, but she also wanted this to be a bad dream and nothing else. She wanted to wake up in Jay's arms, like the old times.

Latania is brought out of her daze by the team as they all surrounds her.

"I can't do this without him" Latania croaks out as she sobs in Erin's arms blinking himself back from his daze.

Erin cried as she clutched Latania, Jay was her partner, and he held the team together like glue. Stopping Hank from crossing the line too far most of the time, putting a smile on everyone's face with his witty remarks and banter with the team.

He was like a son to Al and Hank even though Hank wouldn't admit it, and a brother to Antonio, Ruzek, and Atwater, Erin had feelings for him, but she knew deep down the person he reciprocated those feelings for was the woman in her arms.

Honestly Latania has no idea how long she has been sitting alone in the waiting room as it seems like time has lost all meaning. Every single time she hears footsteps Latanja looks up, hoping that it's someone who will give her answers about Jay.

Alvin returns to the room carrying not just coffee but some sandwiches, which he puts on the table allowing everyone to grab, once she does that he takes one of the coffee's, and one of the sandwiches and walks over to Latania.

"Here, you need to eat." Alvin says handing Latania the coffee and sandwich.

"I'm fine." Latania answers taking the coffee, but leaving the sandwich be.

"Latania, you're going to need strength." Voight tells her.

"I couldn't eat even if I wanted to." Latania admits, and Voight and Erin exchange worried looks, both becoming even more worried as they hope that they get news about Jay soon as the waiting is starting to feel like hell.

It has been two hours since Latania arrived at the hospital and ever since everyone has been sitting in silence, becoming even more worried with every minute that passes as they desperately want to know how Jay is, they want to know that he is okay.

As they the group once more hears footsteps they look towards the door and they see a person who is clearly a doctor, as she is in scrubs, walking towards them.

"Latania." Will says to his friend and Latanja looks up to see the doctor and the second she does she is out of her seat in a second.

"Connor?" The woman asks.

Everyone surrounds Connor.

"Jay's stable at the moment, and he's on his way to the operation room. I hate to say this, but nothing is sure yet…We don't know the extent of his head injury yet; there's a chance he might never wake up. On top of that, Jay has multiple cuts, a broken arm, collarbone, and multiple broken ribs"" He finishes with a sigh as she took in their crumbling expression and tore streaked looks at Will and Latania, who were standing in front of him with matching frowns.

"Can we see him?" Antonio asks.

"Under normal circumstances no, but Jay briefly woke up after surgery and in a state of distress, asking for Latania." Connoe explains, causing Latania to look heartbroken, "Considering his state and where he is coming from I believe it might be best for you to be with Jay in case he waits so that he doesn't hurt himself again."

"Of course." Latania answers at the same time Will asks,

"Again?"

"When he woke in his destressed state Jay caused his chest tube to kink, something which could be quite serious, as well as pull on his stiches." Connor explains, "Which is why I think it would be best for you to be there to calm him when he wakes."

"I already said yes." Latania answers.

After walking in silence for a couple of minutes Latania and Connoe arrive at the ICU.

"You need to prepare yourself Latania. Seeing Jay in the state he is in might be quiet distressing, which is why we usually don't allow visitors in ICU." Connor explains.

"What do you mean distressing?" Latania asks, feeling her worry grow once more.

"Jay has a slash to the arm, a large covered wound to his torso, a chest tube, and is connected to a lot of tubes and wires, including oxygen." Connor explains, "You should prepare yourself for that."

"I have." Latania assures her.

"Okay, follow me." Connor responds and he leads Latania into a small hospital room.

Walking into the room Latania can't help but hold in her gasp as she sees Jay, looking so hurt and so small lying in the bed. It hurts hee to see the man she loves like that.

"When he will wake up?" Latania asks Connor.

"Hard to say, but if he does wake up again and is in the same state as he was in earlier you should try and keep him calm, assure him that he's safe and okay." Connor informs Latania.

"I will." Latania responds heading over to Jay's left side where she pulls a chair over and sits down right next to Jay's bed.

"I'll leave you in alone, if you need anything there will be nurses and doctors, who know about the special circumstances, are all outside." Connor responds.

"Thank you." Latania says as he heads out of the room, once he does Latania turns to her love, "I'm sorry Jay. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." Latania says sadly, wanting to reach out to Jay though she forces herself not too, "This should never have happened, you deserve so much better."

""I still love you. I will always love you, and that is all that matters. I will forgive you anything, and I will forgive you this. Somehow I couldn't stop. I had turned into someone that I would have pitied in another life; someone who searched for signs, who analyzed patterns, who went over every word in a conversation looking for hidden meanings, secret signals, the subtext that said, Yes, I still love you, of course I still love you. I need you to." Latania admits, her voice breaking, "I need you." She admits, reaching up and wiping away the tears that have come to her eyes, "Please wake up." Latania begs, not caring how it sounds like as she reaches over and gently places her hand on Jay arm." I am pregnant


	10. Chapter 10

Jay smiles the minute he opens the door and hears the loud, bubbly, ecstatic little boy giggles coming from across the condo, unbuttoning his jacket. He slips it off, laying it neatly over the back, and discards the mantel he's worn all day for one that's warmer, one that fits just the way he likes. Detective for family man.

He walks through the condo, smells lasagna cooking in the oven, picks up a toy truck and tosses it in a basket along the wall with some of Luke's favorite toys, follows the sound of little boy laughter like a trail of breadcrumbs as he walks down the hallway.

Latania is kneeling in front of the bathtub with Luke standing on Latania's thighs, Latania's arm wrapped around him to keep him from diving headlong into the bathtub after the six yellow ducklings that are paddling around, back and forth, diving under the water only to surface and do it all over again. Jay leans into the doorway and watches Luke squeal and slap at the water as he tries to grab a hold of a duckling with hands he hasn't quite gotten the hang of yet. The ducks easily avoid him but he doesn't seem to really care, his little giggles after one slips away from him lighting up his face.

"Latania."

Latania turns her head, looks at her husband. It's been five years since the young man woke up in the hospital bed with his wife and his brother standing next to the hospital bed. Five years have passed since Latania kissed the man she loves and forgave him about cheating. Five years have passed since Latania had a ring on her finger.

"They're Mia's.""Mia?"

"2E. They're for a school project. She'll be back to get them in about an hour. I just couldn't say no when she asked."

Of course he couldn't.

Latania laughs and tightens her arms when Luke tries to slip the hold and jump into the tub, kissing the side of his head when he squeals again and bounces up and down on Latania's could not stop looking at his son and his wife. Pregnancy of the woman was the first thing he learned when he woke up in the hospital bed and he could not be more happier.

Many things have changed in the last five years. First, Connor and Will got married after Jay kidnapping. The Rhodes-Halstead couple bough a house a few blocks away from theirs. Which means Sunday barbecue. The most shocking changed was Hank and Antonio in a hung crush on Antonio was a first reason why Voight and Latania did not work. Voight had his eyes on hia boy and Latania heart belonged to Jay.

Latania , Conner and Antonio had created a club with their only mission to toy with their husbands/boyfriend. The three of them were something like a family in the family which they gossiping about everything and everyone , especially their men. Voight , Jay and Will leant quickly to not fuck with them after Latania , Antonio and Connor team up to make Voight scared the crap out of him because he forgat their second anniversary.

Third strange thing was the bond between Erin and Latania. The two women found out that they have a lot of commons like shopping, reading and men in uniform. One day Erin admitted that she had a thing for Kelly Severide , the Lieutenant in charge of Rescue Squad 3. With a plan from Latania , Kelly was not really for that.

Jay walks across the bathroom, rolls up his sleeves, sits down on the closed lid of the toilet. He leans forward, brushes his hand over Luke's head, grins when one of the ducklings gets close enough to splash a happy, squealing Luke in the face just the tiniest bit. It's incredible, the amount of joy Jay feels, watching Luke figure out the world.

He's incredible.


End file.
